Rule 8.3 - FRIENDS PROVIDENT GROUP PLC

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              FRIENDS PROVIDENT GROUP PLC
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP0.05
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               14 August 2009

2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)  Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                            Long                     Short

                      Number       (%)         Number       (%)

(1) Relevant      94,329,485     4.03%        335,970     0.01%
securities
(2) Derivatives    2,711,861     0.12%        587,312     0.03%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and       66,440     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             97,107,786     4.15%        923,282     0.04%

(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class of                    Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  Number              (%)   Number              (%)

(1) Relevant
securities

(2) Derivatives
(other than
options)

(3) Options and
agreements to
purchase/sell

Total


  (c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:   Details



3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

  (a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale Number of Securities Price per unit
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      456                  .7645
Purchase      78,571               .7561
Purchase      58,477               .7655
Purchase      1,285                .7700
Purchase      37,009               .7655
Purchase      26,256               .7655
Purchase      23,633               .7586
Purchase      16,520               .7615
Purchase      2,730                .7655
Purchase      3,830                .7656
Purchase      10,000               .7650
Purchase      9,700                .7710
Sale          14,265               .7655
Sale          2,550                .7630
Sale          4,700                .7689
Sale          200                  .7580
Sale          14,008               .7637
Sale          225,922              .7594
Sale          51,231               .7655
Sale          58,477               .7655
Sale          120,033              .7592
Sale          11,990               .7593

(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          65545         0.7586
CFD            Long          40345         0.7591
CFD            Long          11990         0.7592
CFD            Long          225922        0.7593
CFD            Long          2550          0.7629
CFD            Long          14008         0.7637
CFD            Long          4700          0.7689
CFD            Short         78571         0.756
CFD            Short         113163        0.7568
CFD            Short         70431         0.7575
CFD            Short         16520         0.7615
CFD            Short         52454         0.7653
CFD            Short         68830         0.7654
CFD            Short         3830          0.7656
CFD            Short         9700          0.771

(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product name,   Writing,          Number of          Exercise  Type, e.g.      Expiry   Option money
e.g. call       selling,          securities to      price     American,       date     paid/received
option          purchasing,       which the option             European etc.            per unit (GBP)
                varying etc.      relates (GBP)


(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)




(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)




4.   OTHER INFORMATION
None

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of
any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or
relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any
relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.




Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 YES


Date of disclosure                         17 August 2009
Contact name                               Geoff Smith
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM 8

DETAILS OF OPEN POSITIONS
(This form should be attached to Form 8.1, Form 8.1(b)(ii) or Form 8.3, as appropriate)

OPEN POSITIONS (Note 1)
Product name,     Written or  Number of securities   Exercise price   Type, e.g.     Expiry date
e.g. call option  purchased   to which the option    (Note 2)         American,
                              or derivative relates                   European etc.
Option            Purchased   66,440                 0.7636           EURO           28/09/2009

Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk