Britons who are worried about their financial future are being urged to get debt management advice as soon as possible.

Demand for help on money issues is growing during the recession, but people should face their fears sooner rather than later, says Beccy Wilks, spokesperson for the Money Advice Trust.

"If you are worried you might be getting into difficulty and you feel a drop in income might be on the horizon or are anticipating problems coming up, it is vital you get help," she commented.

Debt management advice should cover all the pros and cons of each option available, Ms Wilks added.

According to figures from Credit Action, total UK personal debt at the end of June was £1,458 billion.

Of this, consumer credit lending to individuals stood at £231 billion, with each UK adult owing an average £30,460, including mortgages.

This equates to 133 per cent of average earnings and could be putting many Brits at risk of getting into repayment difficulties as the recession continues and unemployment rises.