Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
20 October 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 S.A/
Capital International Limited.



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




Northern Trust                                                           150,700
Chase Nominees Limited                                                   785,500
Nortrust Nominees                                                        972,100
Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited                                             153,600
State Street Nominees Limited                                            386,800
Bank of New York Nominees                                              4,331,107
Northern Trust                                                         1,516,851
Chase Nominees Limited                                                 2,924,300
Midland Bank plc                                                         161,500
Bankers Trust                                                            269,700
Barclays Bank                                                             87,300
Citibank London                                                          626,700
Morgan Guaranty                                                          242,800
Nortrust Nominees                                                      3,032,600
Royal Bank of Scotland                                                   858,500
MSS Nominees Limited                                                      94,000
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                            657,300
National Westminster Bank                                                120,300
Lloyds Bank                                                               68,100
Citibank NA                                                               19,500
Deutsche Bank AG                                                       1,037,300
Chase Manhattan Nominee Ltd                                               61,000
HSBC Bank plc                                                            896,700
Mellon Bank N.A.                                                         258,900
Northern Trust AVFC                                                       66,400
KAS UK                                                                    69,400
Bank One London                                                          220,000
Clydesdale Bank plc                                                       70,793
JP Morgan Chase Bank                                                      28,300
State Street Nominees Limited                                             11,500
Bank of New York Nominees                                                 36,900
Chase Nominees Limited                                                   904,900
Credit Suisse London Branch                                               27,600
Midland Bank plc                                                          68,700
Barclays Bank                                                             30,500
Pictet & Cie, Geneva                                                       5,800
Nortrust Nominees                                                          9,000
Morgan Stanley                                                            10,700
Royal Bank of Scotland                                                   107,400
JP Morgan                                                                965,879
National Westminster Bank                                                 33,400
Lloyds Bank                                                               28,800
RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                                        44,500
Deutsche Bank AG                                                          45,800
HSBC Bank plc                                                            255,300
HSBC                                                                      16,200
Bank of New York Nominees                                                  4,600
Nortrust Nominees                                                        238,400
HSBC Bank plc                                                             60,900




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


17 October 2005



11. Date company informed


19 October 2005



12. Total holding following this notification


23,074,830



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)


9.033%



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


20 October 2005



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for loss of business or loss of profits) arising in contract, tort or otherwise
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it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this document or
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