Redundancy - my time in the barrel

Try and land aire senior position. I avoided them for years but went for it this and so far all ok.

18 months pay should comfortably keep you going for a couple of years so it'll buy you plenty of time to try something else. If you have transferable skills (and realistically most people do) then it sounds like a great opportunity for a change.

I've known quite a few people take redundancy and they are all in a better place afterwards. Doesn't guarantee success but it shouldn't be something to fear

data, power apps and digital stuff

Honestly, if you've got decent power platform experience and can talk to customers to figure out what they *actually* need then i'd take the money and run.

Plenty of businesses looking for that mix of skills

I thought redundancy was tax free up to a certain amount?

I'd take 18 months of my average civil service salary and be out like a shot - gives you 18 months/2 years to find something, retrain, whatever

£30k tax free I think.

I was feared of senior positions for years. If you have the skills and can talk to people you'll be grand.

Just to add I've been made redundant 3 times and always came out with something better.

What slackboy said. There are major companies crying out for decent powerapps/platform people.

18 months is super generous, take it and have 3 months off then no doubt you'll ace it into another role.

Take the money. It's free money that will allow you to have far more choices than you would have had before.

So many options from travelling, to retraining, or taking a lower paid job that you have always fancied trying but we're afraid of for economic reasons.

Why not travel and get a new job.

Personally I'd be off cycling around Europe. Taking a few casual jobs as and when I fancied.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

Thanks all, much appreciated. I'm naturally cautious so its difficult to imagine a positive outcome. Appreciate your help and certainly encouraging.

For those who have taken redundancy and been out of work for an extended period, did prospective employers think it was an issue?

Been through redundancy 3 times. The first was forced and was genuinely one of the worst periods of my life. Took ages to come through it and get back on my feet financially and took me away from what I thought, when I was doing my degree, would be a good set of jobs (chemical engineering).

The second two redundancies were voluntary and both were brilliant. Decent pay off, some time away from work and a better job afterwards.

Take the money - that's a cracking deal and so long as you don't blow the lot on [s]coke and hookers[/s] new bikes, it should see you right for a while - you may even find you're entitled to benefits too. You'll certainly need to tell HMRC, if only for stuff like National Insurance but you might be entitled to a few quid extra under Universal Credit. I was, which helped out greatly although the weekly meetings with the JObCentre drones are a pain.

For those who have taken redundancy and been out of work for an extended period, did prospective employers think it was an issue?

Not an issue in the slightest.
My first VR, I took 5 months out (and 2 overseas holiday plus some time away in the UK!), second one was shorter (about 2.5 months although I had a job lined up within 6 weeks). The "extra" time was because I'd already booked a holiday to Australia (way back before redundancy was even being mentioned) but when I had my interview, they were absolutely fine with me starting on my return. That took a lot of pressure off, knowing that I was back from holiday and straight into work.

Take the money.

Have the summer riding your bike and having adventures. Do the stuff you’ve wanted to do for years but never found the time (if you can with this much notice)

Realise how cheap it is to live when you don’t work.

Promise yourself not to even look for a job until September.

Once you begin to look for a job, you’ll find the fact that employers are interested in you and your experience will give you such a boost you’ll feel invincible.

Since you’ve experienced life without tons of cash coming in, you’ll not feel pressure to wait for a job that pays more than you used to earn, you ca take the job that’s interesting and rewarding.

Don’t look back until retirement.

^^^^all in my experience.

+1 blobonastick

I'd rip my employers hand off for VR @ £30k and have an awesome summer more so in your position.

…and apologies if this is a little ‘on the nose’ but this kind of talk:
“….have a break from the civil service. I’m struggling with the decision as it’s all I’ve known really and the lack of promotion has knocked my confidence….”
…makes me think of this:

(Ah bugger - still don’t know how to post images. Imagine the “Brooks was Here” graffiti scene in Shawshank Redemption)

.

I’ll say what I say every time
This question comes up….
Spin it around the other way, the offer currently on the table is you can keep your current job (which in this case isn’t fulfilling you) and all that’s being asked if you is that you hand over 18 months salary. You’re buying a job you don’t like.

Or put it another another way - you can continue to do this job that’s not fulfilling you, or you can go off and cycle around the world for a year - which would you prefer? There’s no financial difference between the two options

For my part, I’ve taken VR twice, both times were scary and anxiety raising, but both times I had better new roles before the garden leave was even up. You know what to do!

Not through redundancy but I recently left a company I've been with for 26 years , joined straight from school at 16 .

It's pretty daunting, I was worried I was only capable of doing one thing and only doing that one thing at one place .

I left as we were emigrating to new Zealand and after taking the summer off I managed to find work in a different field with some overlap of skills and it's all working out fine . If I was in your position without any money worries to start with then 18 months salary as a backup ...well I think you'd be mad not to .

I was made redundant at the end of March. I’d been with the company just over four years and got nearly £5k, decided to put in for my state pension, and got a £12,300 lump sum, with £948/month, and I’ve got someone sorting out a bunch of workplace pensions I’ve accumulated over the years. So far, I’m enjoying being a lazy slob, staying up ‘til 03.20 on here, then getting up whenever the heck I want. Hopefully it’ll be warm tomorrow and I can repaint my gravity chairs with Hammerite and put new bungees on, ready to relax with some of my pile of books during the warmer months. 😎

I might look around for something with limited hours; I was doing vinyl decals on motoring school cars for a year, I might check to see if anyone local has a need for someone with moderate skills to help out for beer and gig ticket money.

On those terms, take voluntary redundancy now ..... it might be involuntary on worse terms next time.

I would be looking for a new job or even checking out agency work right now.

All this talk of a career break is great, and it's a valid choice but remember that the whole time your are burning through your savings and not contributing towards your retirement fund/pension.

As a public sector employee you've probably got access to a generous pension scheme that many don't. And your next job won't either.

Do it. I did 6.5 years ago now. When I started job hunting I found a buoyant job market and was soon back in a good job. I'm sure that hasn't changed, job opportunities outnumber quality candidates.

Do it, speak to some agencies say, "I'm off riding my bike for a bit, i can do x and what to start y date". Something will turn up. Re burning through your savings, set a budget you're happy with for yor wanderings and stick to it, not hard, eh? I had a lovely xmas when i took voluntary, 2 months off loads of bike rides, finished end of Nov and started in feb. Wouldve been better in summer but that wasnt rhe deal. Have fun!

Depends on your commmitments here really. I think, in your position, most of us would be strongly considering six months to a year of something different - riding/travelling etc.

Do it, grab the cash. Then go hard looking for a job which suits your skills on the private sector.
Invest the redundancy cash across premium bonds, ISA and Sipps. Then its grossed up so plus 20%
Work for a couple of years then retire, or get a little part time 3 day job and earn enough to get by and avoid tax.

Do it! I was in a very similar situation 6 years ago. Offered a similar amount at a company had been with 22 years. It was a difficult emotional decision at the time. Now fully retired at 57 and live in a much nicer part of the country. Part of my decision was my father worked until 66 and died 6 months after retiring.

As said up thread I found I needed much less income when not working, so even if takes a while to find something else, you will be fine. No regrets here.

I have been made redundant twice, neither were voluntary got a couple of month's wages both times. Worst part was new jobs sprung up from out of the blue both times didn't even get 2 weeks without work. Both times new job was bette than the last. grab the money and run, enjoy yourself for 6 months, spend 6 months looking for a job and bank 6 months money.

Been laid off 7 times, some 'organised' and all with a payoff.

Bird in the hand, take it.

I'd be jumping at that. Didn't know there was the tax break! If I understand it correctly, someone on roughly the average wage (hello) who got 18 months salary would come out, after tax, with roughly 24 months' worth of their take-home pay. That's a cracking deal if you ask me.

If you've been there a long time without ever job hunting, it might be worth knocking up a CV and start applying for a couple of things just to get a feel for your suitability.

It's eays to work youself into a niche and not realise as the rest of the industry moves on. This happened to me, took about 6 months of interviews and reading/studying to get something else.

If nothing else it will put you at ease if you take redundancy and have time off.

We've had a lot of voluntary redundancies here, and I don't think anyone has regretted the decision with £50k plus payouts !

A colleague once said I was a walk advert for redundancy.

Got out of newspapers 15 years ago and landed in banking on double the pay with a great payoff. Took voluntary from the bank just over a year ago again with a big payout and literally the week before I was resigning to work at a consultancy for a much larger salary due to the experience I’d gained in banking.

Sorry if seems a brag but point is that opportunity can come out of adversity. Best of luck.

We’ve had a lot of voluntary redundancies here, and I don’t think anyone has regretted the decision with £50k plus payouts

A little more than you get with 18 months of a CS salary, but fair point.

It's never worked out that well for me (only ever got statutory-ish, or nothing) but I'd still take the money and run. Think about it the other way round, would you feel happy, working the next 18months knowing you could be doing sweet FA?

Unless your skills are very niche like me and your industry is on it's knees (like mine was) then you'll find something the same/better.

Do it. Been in a similar position (albeit with much less payout) took the opportunity to retrain and go self employed. My biggest regret is not doing it sooner, the thought of all those years I wasted treading water for a steady paycheque brings me out in a cold sweat…

Was in a very similar position to you years ago. It was scary but best thing I did.

Make sure you take them up on any offers of career coaching and guidance, if they don't offer you anything it's worth getting anyway if your confidence is low. Being able to put a spin on what you see as just doing your job and having a good CV is really helpful.

Those skills will see you walking into a job, any break you take just make sure you explain it on your CV and/or in an interview. Who wouldn't take a couple of months out for a trip after a nice payout (you can also spin it more productively if you also learn something in that time or project manage a house refurbishment)!

It feels from your post that you're reasonably indifferent to the role, mildly peeved with the lack of promotional opportunities and now you have two years cash as an option to recharge your batteries, find something else that you want to do. And take a few months to go cycling.

Otherwise, come winter you will be commuting to an office 2 hours away (and, if recent corporate trends are replicated - you will be going there more often than you initially envisaged) and still doing a job where you think you can do something a bit better - resenting that you didn't take the cheque!

How much of a risk is it?

Christ I'd be ecstatic if I was offered 18 months salary for VR. I'd do it for half that. If you love the job and never want to work anywhere else then fair enough, but that's not what it sounds like. No brainer!

You should be able to take 30k tax free and then put the rest in a pension to avoid being taxed. The good thing is it’s voluntary redundancy so you can walk away knowing it was your choice and you won’t get the mix of emotions that comes from a compulsory redundancy.

Also good that you’ve no money issues or dependants so could be a great opportunity to move onto something new with little risk.
Most people seem to move onto something better and this is true for myself it’s nearly 4 years since my redundancy and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Business is doing well and I’m enjoying work again.

Good luck 🤞🏻

Polish your CV tomorrow. Spend all day Thurday on the phone to recruiters. You will quickly get a feel for whether they can find you temp or perm work, how much it would pay, and how long it would take. You can make a decision by Monday.

And then take the summer off!

Just echoing what everyone else has said really. If you are a bit nervous about moving to a new role or sector you have plenty of time to brush up on skills and maybe do some work to showcase what you know on a blog/youtube channel.

In my last role I helped interview people for technical roles and the candidates that did the above stood out. It could be good fun doing that and keep your skills sharp whilst still allowing you to have a decent break from normal work.