Give the right payment: it leads to contract (7)
I believe the answer is:
entitle
'give the right' is the definition.
(someone entitled to something has a right to it)
'payment it leads to contract' is the wordplay.
'to contract' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (I've seen 'contracted' mean this).
'ENTITLE' can be found hidden inside 'payment it leads'.
(Other definitions for entitle that I've seen before include "Licence" , "Name; empower" , "Name, authorise" , "confer rank" , "Give (someone) rights" .)