Debtors who fear they are struggling against an "avalanche" of debt could consider a consolidation loan to cut the costs of their repayments, an expert has commented.

Writing for the Mirror, Nicholas Hopkins suggested a consolidation loan can cut the cost of credit and mean borrowers only have to worry about one payment a month.

He acknowledged that the credit crunch has affected the availability of such borrowing but claimed many people will be surprised at the deals still on offer.

"Having a debt on a credit card can be risky unless you are disciplined enough to stick to a monthly payment," Mr Hopkins continued, adding that consolidators must remember to destroy such cards once they have combined their debt.

Earlier this month, price comparison website uSwitch.com urged debtors to consolidate their borrowing "while they still can", highlighting that nearly one in four people report finding it hard to manage their debt.