What happens to DB public sector pension on death

[Baby boomer]

Only slight benefit here for PS workers who are unmarried and childless is that you can claim back your contributions to the spouses and children's scheme on retirement. There was choice given on this whereby you had to decide if you wanted your "as yet to be found spouse" to be covered by your pension if you died or whether you wanted your contributions back rather than having to pay for everyone elses spouses and children. It was a guessing game but I decided any future spouse would have to be financially self sufficient so I opted for the refund! Not sure if this option is available to new entrants.

That option is no longer available. The trade off is that a spouse acquired, or a child sired, post retirement is now entitled to pension benefit following the pensioners death in retirement.

However, there still is, I believe, one exception. If you are professed to a celibate religious life, you are still eligible for a refund of spouses and orphans contributions. Yes, seriously!