First dole payment served up here - a pound! (8)
I believe the answer is:
original
'first' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'here a pound' is the wordplay.
'here' becomes 'origin' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'pound' becomes 'L' (abbreviation e.g. Lsd - pounds, shillings, pence).
'origin'+'a'+'l'='ORIGINAL'
'dole payment served up' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for original that I've seen before include "Prototype" , "Archetype, master copy" , "Not derived or copied form something else" , "New in character or design - not a copy" , "derivation" .)