This is the age concern leaflet about this
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/FS1_0905.pdf
the relevant bits
You are entitled to cold weather payments of £8.50 for each qualifying week if:
• the average temperature in your area has been, or is expected to be, 0 degrees
Celsius or below for seven consecutive days; and
• you have been awarded Income Support or income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
for at least one day during the period of cold weather and you are getting
disability premium or you are responsible for a child under 5; or
• you have been awarded Pension Credit for at least one of those days and you
are not in a care home.
You are entitled to a winter fuel payment if you are aged 60 or over in the week
beginning on the third Monday in September (the qualifying week).
You are not entitled to a payment if during that week you fall into one of the following
categories:
• you have been in hospital for more than 52 weeks;
• you are getting Pension Credit, Income Support (IS) or income based Job
Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) and you live in a care home and have been in the
home for the 12 preceding weeks;
• you are subject to immigration control;
• you are serving custodial sentence.