Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
23 February 2005

                                  SCHEDULE 10

                   NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES



1. Name of company


Provident Financial plc



2. Name of shareholder having a major interest


The Capital Group Companies Inc. on behalf of its affiliates including Capital
International Inc./Capital Guardian Trust Company/Capital International
Limited/Capital International S.A.



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


Notification in respect of shareholder named in 2 above



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




Chase Nominees Limited                                             188,700
Nortrust Nominees                                                  122,100
Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited                                         4,400
State Street Nominees Limited                                      184,600
Bank of New York Nominees                                        2,861,074
Northern Trust                                                     790,100
Chase Nominees Limited                                           1,590,500
Midland Bank plc                                                    78,000
Bankers Trust                                                      127,300
Barclays Bank                                                       71,000
Citibank London                                                    161,800
Morgan Guaranty                                                    135,200
Nortrust Nominees                                                1,859,200
Royal Bank of Scotland                                              86,400
MSS Nominees Limited                                                39,100
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                      471,800
National Westminster Bank                                           12,500
Lloyds Bank                                                         14,000
Citibank NA                                                         12,900
Deutsche Bank AG                                                   502,400
Chase Manhattan Nominee Ltd                                         45,300
HSBC Bank plc                                                      466,200
Mellon Bank N.A.                                                   121,200
Northern Trust AVFC                                                 84,700
KAS UK                                                              23,600
Bank One London                                                     92,400
Clydesdale Bank plc                                                 29,100
JP Morgan Chase Bank                                                 8,900
State Street Nominees Limited                                        4,600
Bank of New York Nominees                                            4,300
Chase Nominees Limited                                             180,300
Credit Suisse London Branch                                          3,100
Midland Bank plc                                                    15,900
Barclays Bank                                                       16,800
Pictet & Cie, Geneva                                                 5,500
Citbank London                                                       4,500
Nortrust Nominees                                                    4,400
Morgan Stanley                                                       5,100
Royal Bank of Scotland                                              30,000
JP Morgan                                                          510,900
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                        9,300
National Westminster Bank                                           10,800
Lloyds Bank                                                          8,800
RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                                  21,700
Deutsche Bank AG                                                    15,700
HSBC Bank plc                                                       65,100
HSBC                                                                 1,100
Nortrust Nominees                                                   88,100
HSBC Bank plc                                                        8,500



5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


Not disclosed



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


Not disclosed



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


-



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


-



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


21 February 2005




11. Date company informed


23 February 2005



12. Total holding following this notification


11,198,974



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


4.39%



14. Any additional information


-



15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries


Emma G Versluys

01274 731111 ext. 2569



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


Emma G Versluys

Assistant Company Secretary



Date of notification


23 February 2005



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document or material and does not accept any liability for error or omission.
The FSA is not liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages
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
any such material.


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