Purchase of Own Securities

Provident Financial PLC
28 February 2000

                            
                    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 4,426,703
ordinary shares for cancellation at a price of 515.135p per
share through Dresdner Kleinwort Benson.  This purchase
represents approximately 1.718 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
10,327,189.

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