DIRECTORS PURCHASE OF SHARES

2 January 2009


                          PERSONAL GROUP HOLDINGS PLC                          

                         DIRECTORS PURCHASE OF SHARES                          

Personal Group Holdings Plc ("the Company") operates an Inland Revenue approved
All Employee Share Ownership Plan ("AESOP") which allows employees and
directors the opportunity to purchase shares in the Company currently held by
Personal Group Trustees Limited.

The fourteenth allocation period ended on 31 December 2008 and the following
directors have been allocated shares as follows:

Director            Price       Shares       Total Number of    % Holding 
                              Allocated       shares held at              
                                              2 January 2009              
                                                                          
Dr J P Barber      215.0p        531             342,880           1.14   
                                                                          
Mr R Pease         215.0p                         88,872           0.30   
                                 531                                      
Mr K Rooney        215.0p                        177,151           0.59   
                                 531                                      
Mr R Green         215.0p                         46,130           0.15   
                                 503                                      
Mr C Curling       215.0p                         25,122           0.08   
                                 456                                      

Under the Rules of the AESOP, the share price at which the shares are allocated
is the lower of the mid-market value at the start and end of the relevant
accumulation period

Contact:

Personal Group Holdings Plc

John Barber,

Finance Director

Tel: [phone]

Bankside Consultants

Simon Rothschild

Tel: [phone]