I have a JAA PPL w/ IMCr due for renewal (the licence that is)
JAA (5 year) Licences are no longer issued. You need to apply
for a (non-expiring) Part-FCL PPL.
As you already have an IMCr you will be given an IR(R).
This is effectively an IMC in another name. Same privileges as
an IMC and still restricted to UK airspace only.
Secondly the way I understood an IR(R) is that it allowed IFR enroute
No
You are thinking of the En-Route IR (ERIR) which does not currently
exist, but has been proposed.