Up to R for "rubbish" (3)
I believe the answer is:
rot
'rubbish' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'up to r' is the wordplay.
'up' says the letters should be written in reverse (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'to'+'r'='tor'
'tor' reversed gives 'ROT'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for rot that I've seen before include "Decay in grotesque way" , "Paradise" , "Decompose; rubbish" , "bunk" , "Garbage" .)