Purchase of Own Securities

Provident Financial PLC
21 December 1999


                    PROVIDENT FINANCIAL PLC
                               
                       Share repurchase
                               
                               
Provident Financial plc (the 'Company') announces that,
pursuant to the authority conferred at the Annual General
Meeting on 29 April 1999, it has today purchased 10,652
ordinary shares for cancellation at an average price of
671.27p per share through Dresdner Kleinwort Benson.  This
purchase represents approximately 0.004 per cent. of the
Company's issued ordinary share capital and brings the
aggregate number of shares purchased by the Company since 26
October 1999 to 5,200,486.

Enquiries to:
Mrs R J Marshall Smith            Tel: [phone]
Assistant Company Secretary