Well done, PRbloke. I got mine a couple of months ago and have made use of it in some way in nearly all the flying I have done since. Not for dramatic minimum cloud breaks but for flying above cloud or in awful horizontal visibility or just for being able to tell a zone controller that I will accept a transit that might take me IMC if it suits him. All three have happened to me more than once already and have meant that I have either had a better flight or even that I have been able to do a flight that I would have cancelled without an IMCR. The fact that it might save my life one day is a bonus!
I also find it great fun to be able to fly IMC and procedures and have to confess that I get a childish pleasure from feeling more like a professional pilot!
For the future. As far as I can tell, it's not quite as fixed as Pace mentions above. Anything could happen in the next few months. If I understand correctly, one thing that is fairly likely is that having got one before the EASA deadline, you will be able to keep it even if it is closed to new entrants.
Join AOPA UK, we wouldn't even have that concession without its efforts.