Director Shareholding

Provident Financial PLC
27 March 2003

                                  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 Robin James Ashton (beneficially and as trustee)



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


Robin James Ashton



Robin James Ashton, Michael John Waugh and David Nicholas Ashton



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


Robin James Ashton sold 6,075 shares



Robin James Ashton, Michael Waugh and David Nicholas Ashton sold 1,000 shares



Redmayne (Nominees) Limited purchased 1,249 shares for an ISA on behalf of Robin 
James Ashton



7. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


1,249



8. Percentage of issued class


0.0005



9. Number of shares/amount of stock disposed


7,075



10. Percentage of issued class


0.0028



11. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



12. Price per share


1,000 shares sold at 562.07p per share

6,075 shares sold at 563.07p per share

1,249 shares purchased at 562.94p per share



13. Date of transaction


27 March 2003



14. Date company informed


27 March 2003



15. Total holding following this notification


37,232



16. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification


0.0146



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


-



24. Name of contact and telephone number for queries


Mrs R J Marshall Smith

Tel:  [phone] ext. 2356



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


Mrs R J Marshall Smith

Company Secretary



Date of Notification


27 March 2003



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