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I've been finding plenty of Small White larvae on the garden cabbages, and have am trying to rear them in a rearing cage, but the silly caterpillars persist in climbing to the top of the cage and ignoring their food. They've been doing this for several days now, so if they are trying to pupate, they are taking their time over it (they are indeed late instar). Are they one of these annoying species whose instinct is to head upwards no matter what, ignoring their food? I know certain moth larvae do this.

I find in late summer that they tend to crawl to the top of the cage and then sit there for about three days before pupating. Some of the time is spent spinning a silk pad to cling to, the rest appears to just be them preparing for the big change.
Other species will hang for a couple of days after spinning their silk pad.
I guess that in these colder conditions things will take longer than normal.

Yes, this fits with their current behaviour. Whatever it is they are doing, they are not doing it quickly!

The first of them has now pupated, attached to the ceiling of the rearing-cage.