Money, Pay and the cost of living
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Basic pay for a private soldier was 28 shillings (£1.40) a week net in 1948. This compared poorly with the average weekly wage in 1951, which was 8 pounds 8 shillings and 6 pence. Those on a Short Service Commission would get extra pay, and were entitled to married quarters. A notice at the Quartermaster's Stores reminded them that their kit was twenty pounds worth of government property, and that if they lost any of it, they would not only have to pay the cost of that item, but also pay for the item to be replaced.
There were other, 'unofficial', expenses. Some recruits found that they had to pay NCOs a shilling for their first 'free' haircut. Other 'scams' included selling on Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI) cleaning supplies at inflated prices.

The cost of living would vary depending on where a conscript was posted. At camps in Britain, Servicemen might send some money home. They would also have to pay income tax of about 2 shillings. There may also be occasional fines for damages to barracks (whether there had been any damage or not). The Army also expected men to join the Post Office Savings Bank. This might leave a man with eight to fourteen shillings a week to spend on razor blades, shaving soap, Brasso, boot polish, hair cuts, cigarettes, dusters or blanco. Visits to the cinema or for a decent meal at the NAAFI would be few and far between. In Hong Kong, however, all ranks appreciated the glut of luxury goods on sale at low prices and the availability of exotic fruit that was still not freely available in Britain. In Germany, servicemen were issued with British Armed Forces currency ('Baffs').

Pay for conscripts rose to 38 shillings in 1960. The average weekly wage for men in 1961, however, was £15 10 shillings, and by this time there were more products available to buy.

Conscription
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During the post-1945 period of National Service some 1, 132, 872 men were conscripted to serve in the British Army. For some it was a shock to the system, the first time they had left their homes and families. For others with experience as Army Cadets, it was a relatively familiar life. It was a time of great camaraderie, bonds were formed quickly amongst men from disparate backgrounds thrown together in a strange situation, made stronger by the discipline imposed on them beginning with their basic training. Some of these friendships formed during National Service would last a lifetime.
For many men it was a time to learn new skills, forge a new career, to distance themselves from the morality of their parents, or an opportunity to travel at a time in which it may otherwise have been prohibitively expensive. However, there was the feeling, often justified, that the Army did not exploit skills and experience gained as a civilian.

The experience many men had of being thrown into combat situations such as Korea, Malaya, Suez and Aden would never be forgotten. Men with minimal training were expected to fight guerrillas or cope with riots or civil war situations. During this period a total of 395 National Servicemen were killed in active service.

Maybe this could be used in an argument to bring back National Service.

During this period a total of 395 National Servicemen were killed in active service.

When National Service began the Labour Administration insisted that it should be universal for all able-bodied men. However, although there was no official ban, very few Black conscripts and no non-European officers were recruited despite high levels of immigration in the mid-1950s. To avoid possible civil unrest Northern Ireland was also excluded from conscription.

Which also explains the lack of empathy between the Police and the forces nowadays.