Feel raw about public assistance (7)
I believe the answer is:
welfare
'public assistance' is the definition.
(I know that public assistance can be written as welfare)
'feel raw about' is the wordplay.
'about' indicates an anagram.
'feel'+'raw'='feelraw'
'feelraw' anagrammed gives 'WELFARE'.
(Other definitions for welfare that I've seen before include "Your well being, or help from the state" , "Contented state of health and happiness" , "Health and fortunes of a person or group" , "Well-being" , "Social provision by state" .)