Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
17 March 2005

                                  SCHEDULE 10

                   NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES



1. Name of company


Provident Financial plc



2. Name of shareholder having a major interest


The Capital Group Companies Inc. on behalf of its affiliates including Capital
International Inc./Capital Guardian Trust Company/Capital International
Limited/Capital International S.A.



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




Chase Nominees Limited                                             285,700
Nortrust Nominees                                                  143,500
Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited                                        11,800
State Street Nominees Limited                                      258,900
Bank of New York Nominees                                        3,103,657
Northern Trust                                                     835,200
Chase Nominees Limited                                           1,769,700
Midland Bank plc                                                    98,200
Bankers Trust                                                      156,800
Barclays Bank                                                       79,500
Citibank London                                                    223,600
Morgan Guaranty                                                    139,800
Nortrust Nominees                                                2,042,800
Royal Bank of Scotland                                             180,500
MSS Nominees Limited                                                68,200
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                      509,600
National Westminster Bank                                           16,600
Lloyds Bank                                                         32,800
Citibank NA                                                         17,500
Deutsche Bank AG                                                   534,900
Chase Manhattan Nominee Ltd                                         61,000
HSBC Bank plc                                                      503,300
Mellon Bank N.A.                                                   132,600
Northern Trust AVFC                                                 88,500
KAS UK                                                              35,600
Bank One London                                                    121,000
Clydesdale Bank plc                                                 47,400
JP Morgan Chase Bank                                                14,000
State Street Nominees Limited                                        7,100
Bank of New York Nominees                                            6,500
Chase Nominees Limited                                             254,200
Credit Suisse London Branch                                         10,300
Midland Bank plc                                                    32,000
Barclays Bank                                                       24,200
Pictet & Cie, Geneva                                                 9,100
Citbank London                                                       7,600
Nortrust Nominees                                                    7,200
Morgan Stanley                                                       7,700
Royal Bank of Scotland                                              48,500
JP Morgan                                                          633,500
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                       12,800
National Westminster Bank                                           16,600
Lloyds Bank                                                         14,400
RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                                  27,100
Deutsche Bank AG                                                    20,900
HSBC Bank plc                                                      100,900
HSBC                                                                 1,200
Nortrust Nominees                                                  114,900
HSBC Bank plc                                                       16,700



5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


Not disclosed



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


Not disclosed



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


-



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


-



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


15 March 2005




11. Date company informed


16 March 2005



12. Total holding following this notification


12,886,057



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)


5.051%



14. Any additional information


-



15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries


Emma G Versluys

01274 731111 ext. 2569



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


Emma G Versluys

Assistant Company Secretary



Date of notification


17 March 2005



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document or material and does not accept any liability for error or omission.
The FSA is not liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages
for loss of business or loss of profits) arising in contract, tort or otherwise
from the use of or inability to use this document, or any material contained in
it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this document or
any such material.


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