I would think NOT having a valid IR, will not exactly help you.
I know of guys being offered jobs recently, and one of the criteria was a valid IR! Many instructors I know, struggle to go just because of that, the pay is bad, so they do not have enough money to keep renewing it every year, the problem than is that they also are not available for job opportunities that might come up on short notice.
As I see from many adverts, if you don't have your IR current, you will not even be considered it seems.
I don't really understand, after spending £40.000 - £60.000, why you would want to save on keeping your licence current, it should be priority ahead of most other things in your life, if you want to get a job I would think!