Director Shareholding

Provident Financial PLC
26 August 2004

                                  SCHEDULE 11

          NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS



1. Name of company


Provident Financial plc



2. Name of director


Robin James Ashton



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


-



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


-



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


-



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


-



7. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


-



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


-



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


-



12. Price per share


-



13. Date of transaction


-



14. Date company informed


-



15. Total holding following this notification


-



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)


-



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



17. Date of grant


26 August 2004



18. Period during which or date on which exercisable


Exercisable from 1 November 2009 to 30 April 2010 inclusive



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


-



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


3,609 ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



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


453p per share



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


511,112



23. Any additional information


Options were granted pursuant to the Provident Financial plc Employee 
Savings-Related Share Option Scheme (2003).



24. Name of contact and telephone number for queries


Caroline L Farbridge

Tel: [phone] ext. 2569



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


Caroline L Farbridge

Assistant Company Secretary



Date of Notification


26 August 2004




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