Director Shareholding

Provident Financial PLC
19 October 2004

                                  SCHEDULE 11

          NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS



1. Name of company

Provident Financial plc


2. Name of director

Christopher Charles Johnstone


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 or in respect of a non-beneficial
interest

Notification in respect of Geraldine Johnstone, spouse of Christopher Charles 
Johnstone


4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of
shares held by each of them (if notified)

Capita IRG Trustees Limited


5. Please state whether notification relates to a person(s) connected with the
director named in 2 above and identify the connected person(s)

Notification in respect of Geraldine Johnstone, spouse of Christopher Charles 
Johnstone


6. Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions please
indicate whether general/single co PEP and if discretionary/non discretionary

Geraldine Johnstone acquired 2,111 shares pursuant to the Provident Financial 
Company Nominee Dividend Reinvestment Scheme


7. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired

2,111


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

0.001%


9. Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

-


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

-


11. Class of security

Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p


12. Price per share

586p


13. Date of transaction

15 October 2004


14. Date company informed

18 October 2004


15. Total holding following this notification

127,845


16. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification (any
treasury shares held by company should not be taken into account when
calculating percentage)

0.050%


If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the
following boxes.


17. Date of grant

-


18. Period during which or date on which exercisable

-


19. Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option

-


20. Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number

-


21. Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that price is to be
fixed at time of exercise

-


22. Total number of shares or debentures over which options held following this
notification

-


23. Any additional information

-


24. Name of contact and telephone number for queries

Mrs Rosamond J Marshall Smith
Company Secretary
Tel:  [phone] ext. 2356

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

Ms Caroline Farbridge
Assistant Company Secretary


Date of Notification

19 October 2004


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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
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