Hi,
You might already be eligible now for a PhD programme - This, of course, all depends on where you apply to.
Are you willing / able to fund the full cost of a PhD programme without funding?
Is the new Masters' you are about to be begin ESRC accredited? Such Masters' cover research methdodology in depth and are in many instances seen as a good basis for a PhD programme. Some universities which offer these Masters' (eg. Warwick, Manchester and Lancaster) are likely to offer the better students full PhD scholarships.