Thin layer on end of shaft broke (5)
I believe the answer is:
skint
'broke' is the definition.
(both can mean struggling financially)
'thin layer on end of shaft' is the wordplay.
'thin layer' becomes 'skin'.
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'end of' indicates one should take the final letters.
The final letter of 'shaft' is 't'.
'skin'+'t'='SKINT'
(Other definitions for skint that I've seen before include "Stony-broke" , "Impecunious" , "Without money (slang)" , "Broke (sl.)" , "Penniless (slang)" .)