<sod >He said: âThat is where every local authority affected needs to have a hardship fund, and if there is a need to top up those hardship funds then they can come to us and we can have a look at that.< eod>< sod > He said: "That is where every local authority affected needs to have a hardship fund, and if there is a need to top up those hardship funds then they can come to us and we can have a look at that." Some 1,000 properties, including 800 along the Thames, have been flooded in recent days, with thousands more at risk.< eod>