Purchase of Own Securities

Provident Financial PLC
1 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 29
February 2000 it purchased 225,000 ordinary shares for cancellation at a price
of 513.5555p per share through Merrill Lynch. This purchase represents
approximately 0.087% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital and brings
the aggregate number of shares purchased by the Company since 26 October 1999
to 10,552,189.

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