Teenage British soldiers risking their lives against Afghan and Iraqi insurgents earn almost £1000 a year less than a traffic warden, £5000 less than a firefighter and £8000 less than a newly qualified police constable.

The disparity in wages emerged as General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff, called yesterday for a boost in cash and welfare for his troops to halt a growing exodus of servicemen and women who cannot afford to raise a family on their military salaries.

His remarks prompted the Prime Minister to promise that the government would do "everything in our power" in the coming years to recognise the contribution to Britain's security made by members of the armed forces.

Mr Brown said a white paper would be published within weeks setting out the help available to troops in areas such as accommodation, health care and education. And he said that the 9% pay rise granted to the most junior ranks last year was an indication of the government's desire to ensure they were properly rewarded.

General Dannatt's comments, the first time a serving defence chief has publicly demanded more funding, come after an Army briefing paper last month warned that increasing numbers of soldiers are close to the government's own definition of poverty.

It also found some young soldiers were having to survive on emergency food vouchers because they did not have enough money left at the end of the month to settle their bills for the controversial and unpopular pay-as-you-dine system operated by contractors at bases in the UK, Cyprus and Germany.

The Ministry of Defence announced a pay rise of 2.6% in February for all servicemen and women, building on last year's award of more than 9% for the most junior ranks.

But tens of thousands of soldiers were then short-changed by the government decision to abolish the 10p starting rate for tax at the lower end of the wage scale. The MoD says a trained private soldier receives a minimum of £16,227.

A newly qualified firefighter is paid £21,245, a comparable police constable receives £24,039 and a traffic warden earns a basic £17,000. All three also qualify for shift allowances and overtime denied to soldiers.

Troops deployed to Afghanistan stand to receive a new £2320 tax-free operational allowance for six-month deployments, but those in "home" postings have to pay for food and often sub-standard accommodation out of their meagre wages.

A total of 97 soldiers have died in Afghanistan and 176 in Iraq, with almost 700 more wounded in action and 4000 treated in hospital for more minor injuries.

Speaking in Afghanistan, General Dannatt, the UK's most senior soldier, said: "Given the insecurity in the world today and what the armed forces are being asked to do in it, then a slightly increased share of the national wealth going to defence would be appropriate. I regard what we are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere as non-discretionary - we have got to do those things.

"To make sure that we have armed services - in my case an army - populated by motivated and well-trained people, we have got to look after their individual needs well enough.

"That means things like housing, pay, medical provision and general welfare facilities have got to be good. That's where I would like to see additional resources spent. To an extent that is happening - but I would like to see it happening faster.

"I'd like to see service pay go up above inflation for the next couple of years and keep going up if this level of commitment continues. Servicemen go on operations knowing they are putting their lives on the line. It is very hard to put a price on that."

Asked about Gen Dannatt's comments, the Prime Minister said: "We will do everything in our power in the years to come to recognise the great individual contribution that is made by all the members of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force."