Getting your IR at the first attempt is not the be all and end all.
My best mate failed 2 or 3 times. He got straight into a lovely turbo prop. I partialled mine and got straight in a 757.
It is more about luck and being in the right place at the right time.
I would keep the £18000 , because if there aint no jobs nowhere for low hours guys, it don't matter a jot what OATS tell you.
Good luck.