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               15 September 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      98,110,825     4.19%        844,962     0.04%
securities
(2) Derivatives    1,245,273     0.05%      1,380,946     0.06%
(other than
options)
(3) Options and       66,440     0.00%              0     0.00%
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total             99,422,538     4.25%      2,225,908     0.10%

(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      2,018,600            0.8295
Purchase      19,876               0.8365
Purchase      29,430               0.8368
Purchase      32,374               0.8353
Purchase      32,374               0.8353
Purchase      40,777               0.8365
Purchase      19,024               0.8365
Purchase      4,860                0.8365
Purchase      5,9750               0.8361
Purchase      12,152               0.8365
Sale          96                   0.8334
Sale          9,952                0.8365
Sale          32,374               0.8353
Sale          10,395               0.8365
Sale          11,985               0.8335
Sale          22,449               0.8365
Sale          19,650               0.8347
Sale          32,374               0.835316
Sale          40,777               0.8365


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)
Product name,  Long/Short    Number of     Price per
(e.g. CFD)     (Note 6)      Securities    unit (GBP)
CFD            Long          19859         0.8333
CFD            Long          12081         0.8334
CFD            Long          19650         0.8347
CFD            Long          5206          0.8361
CFD            Short         5975          0.8361
CFD            Short         19876         0.8364
CFD            Short         29430         0.8367


(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                         16 September 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            Written     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