Director Shareholding

Provident Financial PLC
26 March 2002



                                  SCHEDULE 11

          NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS

1) Name of company
Provident Financial plc


2) Name of director
Robin James Ashton


3) Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of
holding of the shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial
interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that
person's spouse or children under the age of 18 or in respect of a
non-beneficial interest

Notification in respect of director named in 2 above.



4) Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the
number of shares held by each of them (if notified)

Elizabeth Ashton                                            12,870 shares
Redmayne Nominees PEP Limited                               4,856 shares
Redmayne (Nominees) Limited                                 1,405 shares
                                                            ------
                                                            19,131
                                                            ------

5) Please state whether notification relates to a person(s) connected
with the Director named in 2 above and identify the connected person(s)
Notification in respect of director named in 2 above.


6) Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions
please indicate whether general/single co PEP and if discretionary/non
discretionary
As a result of his divorce from Elizabeth Ashton, Robin James Ashton has ceased
to be interested in the shares in the company beneficially held by her.


7) Number of shares/amount of
stock acquired
-


8) Percentage of issued class
-


9) Number of shares/amount
of stock disposed
19,131


10) Percentage of issued class
0.008


11) Class of security
Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p


12) Price per share
Not applicable


13) Date of transaction

26 March 2002



14) Date company informed
26 March 2002



15) Total holding following this notification
39,369



16) Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification
0.016



If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the
following boxes

17) Date of grant
-


18) Period during which or date on which exercisable
-


19) Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option
-


20) Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number
-


21) Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that price
is to be fixed at time of exercise
-


22) Total number of shares or debentures over which options held
following this notification
-


23) Any additional information
Robin James Ashton's holding has reduced solely because, following his divorce,
he has ceased to be interested in the shares held by Elizabeth Ashton.


24) Name of contact and telephone number for queries
Rosamond J Marshall Smith

Tel: [phone] ext. 2569


25) Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for
making this notification:

Caroline Farbridge

Assistant Company Secretary

Date of Notification 26 March 2002



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