Separating soon, please explain benefits to me as I need to prepare

[Funsunmum]

I'm soon to be a single parent.
I work full time earning minimum wage so £21000 a year . Luckily we don't have a mortgage or rent . My outgoings on working everything out will be about £1500 a month for everything, so more than my monthly wage.
I've filled in the entitled to calculator and it's told me I would recieve my child befit plus about £470 universal credit.
Does that sound about right?

Does anyone know how many hours you are expected to work with kids age 9 and 12? My current hours prevent me from doing the school runs, ideally I would like to drop to 30 hours . I redid the calculator with estimated pay for those hours and it told me child benefit and about 600 universal credit so I would end up with a similar total amount.

I need to know that this is right before I take the leap to separate. I don't want to do it, apply and then be told I'm not entitled as I wouldn't even be able to cover my basic bills let alone any extras .

Is there a way I can find out for definite without actually applying?

Sounds about right to me. I earn a bit more than you and get similar for one child, but I also rent so I get housing element.

Your outgoings seem high considering you have no housing costs, mine are less than that including rent. Any way to reduce them?

With children that age you’ll need to work a minimum of 30 hours a week until your youngest is 12 when you’ll need to work 35 hours a week.

Why are your outgoings so high if you have no mortgage or rent? I have neither and my total outgoings a month including food are less than £600!

Similar to @Queijo if you drop hours can you increase again if needed?

Yes I would be able to increase again in the future .
I've been through all our outgoings today and written everything down. We live in quite a large property at the moment which will be sold and I will downsize so bills should reduce going forward .
Regular household bills are £600 a month, then another £500 on top of that for food , car tax, fuel, medications, phone contracts, breakdown cover, dog insurance, kids dinner money, kids extra curricular fees .
That is without trying to save anything, any emergency costs such as car, house repairs, holidays, Christmas, birthdays etc

Council tax and is a 1/3 of our total bills and gas/elec is 1/2

Are you getting cash from a house sale? You may need to speak to a proper benefits advisor as if you've had money and then spend it even on a home to then need to rely on benefits they may not let you (deprevation of assets) I do not fully know the ins and outs just know a friend of mine said she couldn't get uc after her split because of the house sale she ended up renting and having to use her money