wanted to take a gap year

I was in the exact same position as you last year. I ended up still taking a gap year and I now have a uni place. However I think i would have done it a little differently. If you already know what you want to study I would apply this year for some lower and some higher uni requirements just so that you have an option. Then you can always reject any offers and take your gap year to apply again to either go for a higher offer or to improve your grades again.

Thing is nothing is certain and we don’t know how they will give out results so it’s always good to have as many options as possible.

I want to study Economics, I already got an offer at Leicester, but I feel like I can achieve higher. Having that option does help tbh, as I can always reject it or accept it depending on how I do. But if there are no exams and I wanted to go to a better uni I don't understand what I'd have to do next. Would it be a 2 year wait then?

For your case, it will all depend on how they give out your grades and whether you are happy with them. They will issue you a grade no matter what even if exams aren’t taking place. It just will be in a different way. If you do get better grades you can apply during your gap year as you would have done this year. So through ucas as normal. I had to apply as an individual and then get a reference from my college but it is all through ucas again so it almost has the same process and it is pretty simple.