Purchase of Own Securities

Provident Financial PLC
6 March 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, on 6 March
2000 it purchased 250,000 ordinary shares for cancellation at a price of 520p
per share through Merrill Lynch. This purchase represents approximately 0.097%
of the Company's issued ordinary share capital and brings the aggregate number
of shares purchased by the Company since 26 October 1999 to 10,838,189.

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