Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
03 December 2004

                                  SCHEDULE 10

                   NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES



1. Name of company


Provident Financial plc



2. Name of shareholder having a major interest


Axa Investment Managers UK Limited



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


Notification in respect of shareholder 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



5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


-



6. Percentage of issued class (any treasury shares held by company should not be
taken into account when calculating percentage)


-



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


809,930



8. Percentage of issued class (any treasury shares held by company should not be
taken into account when calculating percentage)


0.317%



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


30 November 2004



11. Date company informed


2 December 2004



12. Total holding following this notification


No longer a notifiable interest



13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification (any
treasury shares held by company should not be taken into account when
calculating percentage)


Below 3%



14. Any additional information



15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries


Rosamond J Marshall Smith



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


Rosamond J Marshall Smith

General Counsel and Company Secretary



Date of notification


3 December 2004



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