Can someone help me decide what to do

[Toddlernightmare]

So last week my company announced it was making staff cuts to the tune of £5m, which works out around roughly 75 out of 200 jobs. VR applications close Monday, consultation ends mid July with redundancies being made end of Aug.

Oddly enough I’d applied for a job just before this and went for an interview which went well. I’ve just been told I’m invited for a second interview with HR to discuss contractual matters, which sounds positive?

Current company have given us til next Monday to apply for voluntary redundancy which is 1 months tax free pay. I’ve only been there a year so not entitled to stat redundancy. Second interview is next Tuesday.

Do I..

A) risk it and apply for VR and hope I get the new job (which I want), if not I have 2 months to apply for a new job after contractual notice and payout

B) don’t apply for VR, and take the new job as a bonus, missing out on the payout, but if I don’t get the new job risk being made redundant anyway.

WWYD? I realise that they may not actually accept my VR application anyway.

What are the VR terms?

One months tax free pay for all staff regardless of length of service, working your contractual notice period, with a finish date of end of June so would line up with a new role perfectly, annoyingly. However it can be declined if they feel your role is business critical. (I’m administrative staff).

Ask HR if you can have a few more days to think about VR? Maybe it’s not a hard deadline.