The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word AMPUTEES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
M
P
U
T
E
E
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "People like Nelson" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case people like nelson = amputees.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does AMPUTEES mean?
AMPUTEES noun- A person who has had one or more limbs removed.