Pension lawyers, who analysed the BBC’s retirement scheme rules on behalf of The Telegraph, said the corporation had no power to take the gold-plated deal away from the disgraced newsreader.
Alison Hills, a pensions specialist at law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper, said a member of the BBC’s old pension scheme, which guarantees to increase retirement income in line with inflation, was entitled to keep their pension even if they were convicted of a crime.
She said: “This can be contrasted with the position of certain public sector schemes – for example, the NHS scheme, where there is specific provision for the secretary of state to be able to reduce or suspend members’ pensions following criminal convictions.”
Danny Tsang, a partner at law firm Simmons and Simmons, said even if an employer such as the BBC did change its scheme rules from now, it would be unlikely to be able to backdate the change. He added: “The rules are very tight when it comes to benefits that have already been earned.”
Edwards was suspended in July 2023 over a claim that he paid a young man for explicit images, but he did not quit the BBC until April, citing medical reasons. He was charged with making indecent images of children in June.
The BBC this week admitted it was aware Edwards had been arrested on suspicion of “serious offences” in November last year. It said had he been charged whilst in employment, he would have been sacked.
Edwards was paid between £475,000 and £479,999 in the year before his resignation in April, which included a £40,000 pay rise that made him the broadcaster’s best paid journalist and third highest-paid presenter.
It is not known if Edwards has now retired or whether he ever left the corporation’s pension scheme. The Telegraph contacted his representatives for comment. The BBC also declined to comment.
It comes as the BBC is reviewing how its pension scheme terms could change for staff in the future. The corporation said the review would seek to make the benefit “financially sustainable, fairer, and more consistent for our employees both now and in the future”.