Should I get a deferral?

Hi this is my first time posting here this so please bear with me. I am second year student trying to go to stage 3.
This morning I was doing my resit for an exam whilst feeling dizzy, coughing and having flu-like symptoms. These symptoms had been persisting for a day.
I flagged this up with the examiner and he said he would submit a report on his side that I was too ill to complete the exam. I then submitted a pec myself to say that I was unwell too to complete the exam.
I then emailed the pec team and they replied with this:
‘Thank you for letting me know. If the deferral is granted you would become an external student and resit in May/June. If you pass the exam you would then begin stage 3 in September 2026.’
Would this mean that I would effectively be taking a gap year from here on out for literally one failed exam module? Is this not too much?
I also did some research around external students and found that they are not eligible for student finance which means that I would not get maintenance loan for a house I had signed ages ago.
I also read somewhere that external students dont get full access to lectures or seminars and have to revise on the previous years content? If this is true, does this not disadvantage me as I will not be up to date with the newer materials of the module?
I have been so sad about this and would really just like to know if anyone has been in my shoes and what they did.

This is not unusual. Some universities will require a leave of absence with reassessment as you have to meet the progression requirements before you can start the next year.
At the uni where I work those students lose access to any university systems except those needed for the reassessment.
The exam will be written on the teaching that you attended not next years so there is no disadvantage.
Talk to the support team at your uni about the financial implications as I don't deal with that side of things

Thank you for the reply. With the students in circumstances like mine, is that deferred resit capped or not capped?

Hi @jyfbu
While I do not know your university, I would assume that the resit would be under the same conditions as the resit you were too unwell to sit. If the resit you were supposed to take was capped, it would still be capped, as this will have been dependent on the conditions of you requiring the original resit.
It's most likely you will still have access to last years materials and be able to revise, but I would recommend clarifying with your university for further information on your questions. I'm sorry that this puts you in such a tough situation - best of luck for your resit.
Rebecca (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Thank you so much for your kind words. Even though my parents don’t show it, they seem so upset that I have to be held back an entire year to just resit one module. I was meant to graduate this year..
I try to look positively though. As an external student where I only have to focus on one module for May next year ig I have a lot of free time? I know I can get a job and earn money. However, could I use that time to build my portfolio or will companies (specifically law firms since i study law) not like the fact that I had to repeat a whole year for one module?
Just tryna think good things cause i feel like such a failure right now