The government has announced the recipients of a multi-million pound grant for helping people with debt problems.

Several charities will benefit from the grants, worth £45 million, which will be provided by the Department of Trade and Industry. Three national awards were handed out, in addition to one for Wales and one for each English region.

Among the 14 winners are the Citizen's Advice Bureau, Advice UK and several independent advice bureaus.

"For the vast majority of people, their level of debt is manageable. But for some, debts become overwhelming," said Alan Johnson, trade and industry secretary.

"We hear far too many stories about some of the most vulnerable people falling prey to loan sharks who exploit their fears.

"Or sometimes, people simply make the wrong decision about how best to manage their money problems and then spiral even further into debt because they don't know who to talk to."

Britons suffering from money problems may wish to acquire a debt consolidation loan to help them manage their finances better.