An award-winning Christian debt counselling charity has launched its free service across Northern Ireland following a national launch event held at Stormont.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP), which currently has 107 centres in England, Scotland and Wales, has supplemented its pilot Belfast East Centre by opening four more in Northern Ireland following the launch event hosted by Lord Mayor of Belfast Naomi Long.

The charity, which operates through a growing network of church-based debt counselling centres, has seen huge demand for its Belfast East Centre. In response, four more local churches have stepped out in faith and are opening CAP centres in Belfast North and Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Dungannon, and Lurgan and District.

The launch event, which took place in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings on earlier in the week, saw key referral agencies from across Northern Ireland joining with politicians, members of the press and partner churches to formally launch the charity’s service across the country.

CAP’s Chief Executive Matt Barlow and CAP’s Belfast East Centre Manager Jim Fleming made presentations detailing the charity's unique formula for proven success in debt management procedures. Two clients also testified to how their lives had been transformed for the better since working with CAP.

With all five centres operational, nearly half of Northern Ireland’s population now falls in the catchment area for CAP’s centres, reaching nearly one million people in Northern Ireland.

Debt is an ever-increasing problem, with the average household debt currently standing at nearly £10,000, not including mortgages. One in nine households are struggling with unmanageable debt and 12 million Brits - around a quarter of the population - are currently struggling to cope with their monthly bills, according to Credit Action.

Matt Barlow, CAP Chief Executive, said: "Debt is a massive problem across the UK and by launching our service in Northern Ireland we look forward to bringing hope and a solution to many living in desperate circumstances.

"Through local churches working together God’s Kingdom will be advanced and his name glorified.

"Showing people God’s love by releasing them from the misery of debt, and lifting the burden that so often breaks people, is at the very heart of what we do."

The new CAP Centres operate in partnership with Magheralin Parish Church near Lurgan, Vineyard Church Dungannon, Carnmoney Presbyterian Church in Newtownabbey and Greenisland Baptist Church in Carrickfergus.