Respite for regular slums by subsistence payment (10)
I believe the answer is:
suspension
'respite' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'regular slums by subsistence payment' is the wordplay.
'regular' means one should take alternating letters.
'by subsistence payment' becomes 'pension' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
The alternating letters of 'slums' are 'sus'.
'sus'+'pension'='SUSPENSION'
'for' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for suspension that I've seen before include "Discord" , "being taken off the job" , "delay" , "Mixture with particles dispersed in a fluid" , "Car ride smoother" .)