Voluntary Redundancy

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

We have had notifications of being able to apply for voluntary redundancy at our place, only 1 place is available in our dept for this. I am considering buying my own cherry picker and going self employed. I was told because I am top tier in our dept that it would be unlikely that they would accept my redundancy application as I am too valuable with my skill sets. `surely this is not legal and is in my opinion completely biased. Can they do this and not accept my application?

King Billy · 7 Feb 2026

Of course they can. You're much too valuable to lose. No doubt you tell them at every opportunity.
And they wouldn't want your skillset to become a competitor's advantage.
Hard luck, you'll have to stick it out until you become useless. to them.

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

King Billy said:
Of course they can. You're much too valuable to lose. No doubt you tell them at every opportunity.

No need to tell them, they tell me daily..

King Billy said:
And they wouldn't want your skillset to become a competitor's advantage.

We don't have competitors, it is not a business from that sense

King Billy said:
Hard luck, you'll have to stick it out until you become useless. to them.

Well that would have to be in the next 3 weeks as the window for applications close so that is an impossibility.

motorbiking · 7 Feb 2026

Highway Man said:
We have had notifications of being able to apply for voluntary redundancy at our place, only 1 place is available in our dept for this. I am considering buying my own cherry picker and going self employed. I was told because I am top tier in our dept that it would be unlikely that they would accept my redundancy application as I am too valuable with my skill sets. `surely this is not legal and is in my opinion completely biased. Can they do this and not accept my application?

Since it’s a voluntary scheme they can apply some discretion over who is accepted. But this must be made clear in the process. You also need to make sure the payments are classed as redundancy, to avoid losing your tax free amount.

I wouldn’t buy a cherry picker. You’d be better leasing/hiring it. When you start a business you want to align your costs to your revenue as much as possible. Once you get a healthy pipeline you can look at taking on assets.

King Billy · 7 Feb 2026

Highway Man said:
We don't have competitors, it is not a business from that sense

There would be if you entered the tendering process.

Highway Man said:
Well that would have to be in the next 3 weeks as the window for applications close so that is an impossibility.

They only need to deny your application, and you're stuck there.
The offer might come around again in a year or two's time. If you're still so invaluable, they'll deny you again, until you've become useless to them.

King Billy · 7 Feb 2026

motorbiking said:
I wouldn’t buy a cherry picker.

Unless the company are reducing their assets. Then you'd probably get it at a good price, especially at a blind auction.

I bought a loverly Transit, in the early 70's, double rear wheels, at a blind auction. It was an ex-Lucas vehicle which had been kitted out with loads of storage and a work bench.for the upcoming tachograph legislation. I can't remember if it was for a teaching or a fitting purpose.
It served me very well for many years. The blind auction was not open to employees involved in the industry, but I was tipped the wink from a good friend.

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

motorbiking said:
I wouldn’t buy a cherry picker. You’d be better leasing/hiring it. When you start a business you want to align your costs to your revenue as much as possible. Once you get a healthy pipeline you can look at taking on assets.

Good point, I have a brand new one and my old one was only a few years old when we got shut of it and it got sent to auction. New they are over 100k but at auction I imagine maybe 20 k possibly under that.

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

King Billy said:
UJnless the company are reducing their assets. Then you'd probably get it at a good price, especially at a blind auction.

All of our vehichles are leased and replaced every three to four years, they send all of our old ones to auction.

motorbiking · 7 Feb 2026

Is this a business that can be done as a sole trader or do you need an assistant?

You have to consider insurance, certification, utilisation, repairs. Maintenance. Etc.

Have a search for what they cost to hire man+picker think about where you’d get your work from, what sort of utilisation you could expect and how much you need to earn.

King Billy · 7 Feb 2026

There used to be loads available for hire on Ebay, some including operator.

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

motorbiking said:
Is this a business that can be done as a sole trader or do you need an assistant?

You have to consider insurance, certification, utilisation, repairs. Maintenance. Etc.

Have a search for what they cost to hire man+picker think about where you’d get your work from, what sort of utilisation you could expect and how much you need to earn.

Yes I can do it alone but I could also do with another person at max height work. I could subcontract back to our company self employed as we have a number of sub contractors that we regularly use but there is also a call for working at height where only scaffolding or a cherry picker can reach. Scaffolding is inconvenient and expensive, a cherry picker can drive straight in and out again with no physical damage done to the building structure.

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

King Billy said:
There used to be loads available for hire on Ebay, some including operator.

I will take a look.

motorbiking · 7 Feb 2026

They may not be willing to hire you back as a subcontractor having paid you to leave.

The other benefit of leasing is you can rent the right tool for the job, so if a small one is needed you don’t have the complexity of having one too big.

Also keeping a picker on your drive. Are the doasyoulikeys likely to pinch it?

blup · 7 Feb 2026

Highway Man said:
We have had notifications of being able to apply for voluntary redundancy at our place, only 1 place is available in our dept for this. I am considering buying my own cherry picker and going self employed. I was told because I am top tier in our dept that it would be unlikely that they would accept my redundancy application as I am too valuable with my skill sets. `surely this is not legal and is in my opinion completely biased. Can they do this and not accept my application?

Unfortunately they can choose not to select you as the criteria usually relate to positive work skills like attendance, length of service etc. You may be a victim of your own spin. It doesn’t stop you going solo however.

Highway Man · 7 Feb 2026

motorbiking said:
They may not be willing to hire you back as a subcontractor having paid you to leave.

The other benefit of leasing is you can rent the right tool for the job, so if a small one is needed you don’t have the complexity of having one too big.

Also keeping a picker on your drive. Are the doasyoulikeys likely to pinch it?

Mine is kept on my drive at the moment. I am the only person in the company to be allowed to take it home with me and use my home as my base.

Voluntary Redundancy

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