voluntary NI for expat

stillEuropean

When I called up today about getting my 18-digit number to pay £840 for a missing year, the person on the phone asked me if I was out of the country that year. When I said yes, she told me that I should call another number and see if I could pay the lesser amount of 163.80 for that year (2014/15).  I plan to do that on Tuesday, but since I hung up the phone I vaguely remember that there was some reason one can't pay Class 2 (or is it Class 3) contributions as an expat. Not sure if I remember that accurately.  Does anyone know? 

p00hsticks

To qualify for class 2 you need to have been working in this country immediately prior to your departure, and to have continued to work while abroad
Voluntary National Insurance: Check which National Insurance contributions you can pay - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)