Director Shareholding

Provident Financial PLC
10 July 2001

                                 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 the spouse of Christopher Charles Johnstone,
Geraldine 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 the spouse of Christopher Charles Johnstone,
Geraldine Johnstone


6) Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions
please indicate whether general/single co PEP and if discretionary/non
discretionary
Purchase of shares following a scrip dividend election


7) Number of shares/amount of
stock acquired

1,673


8) Percentage of issued class
0.00067


9) Number of shares/amount
of stock disposed
-


10) Percentage of issued class
-


11) Class of security
Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p


12) Price per share
802.5p


13) Date of transaction
9 May 2001


14) Date company informed
10 July 2001


15) Total holding following this notification
90,661


16) Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification
0.03639


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
Ms C L Farbridge

Tel: [phone] extension 2569


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

Ms C L Farbridge

Assistant Company Secretary

Date of Notification 10 July 2001