be hard up (for something)

hard up | Business English

hard up
adjective
 informalukus
(UK alsohard-up)
having very little money:
It is not only pensioners in villages who are hard up.
Three hard-up governments are preparing to sell shares in state-owned assets in the next two weeks.
 be hard up (for sth)
to not have enough of something important or valuable:
They're hard up for options because of their financial troubles.