Setter's first clue finishes making allowances (8)
I believe the answer is:
stipends
'allowances' is the definition.
(type of financial payment)
'setter's first clue finishes' is the wordplay.
'setter's first' becomes 's' (1st letter of 'setter').
'clue' becomes 'tip' (I've seen this before).
'finishes' becomes 'ends' ('end' can be a synonym of 'finish').
's'+'tip'+'ends'='STIPENDS'
'making' is the link.
(Other definitions for stipends that I've seen before include "fixed wages" , "Salaries of clergymen" , "Spends it on clergymen's salaries" , "Official incomes of clergymen" , "Allowances (clergy)" .)