Destitution (6)
I believe the answer is:
penury
'destitution' is the definition.
(I know that destitution can be written as penury)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for penury that I've seen before include "Extreme destitution" , "Real poverty" , "Extreme poverty or indigence" , "Destitution, need" , "Indigence, destitution" .)