How to return reference from BlueprintImplementableEvent?

Question

I've got a C++ component and I want to have function which will be implemented in Blueprint like this:

UFUNCTION(BlueprintImplementableEvent)
Stats& GetStats();

But this doesn't compile, I get the following error:

overload function differs only by return type from

and Unreal generates function inside .gen.cpp looking like this:

Stats Component::GetStats()
{
// ...
}

Stats is USTRUCT

Answer 1

//////////////////////////////////////////////
//By reference
//////////////////////////////////////////////
//.h
UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable)
    void GetStats(const FStats& stats);

//.cpp
void YOURCLASS::GetStats(const FStats& stats)
{
    stats = FStats();
}

//////////////////////////////////////////////
//Copy
//////////////////////////////////////////////
//.h
UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable)
    FStats GetStats();

//.cpp
FStats YOURCLASS::GetStats()
{
    return FStats();
}