Holding in Company

Provident Financial PLC
6 October 2000


Schedule 10 - Notification of Major Interests in Shares

1   Name of company:
Provident Financial plc

2   Name of shareholder having a major interest:
Prudential plc

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 registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of
shares held by each of them:
M&G (LOMBARD ST) NOMS AA                         150,000
M&G (LOMBARD ST) NOMS G                           52,000
PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PAC AC               10,677,964
PRUCLT HSBC GIS NOM (UK) PPL AC                1,440,282

5   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired:
-

6   Percentage of issued class:
-

7   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed:
Not disclosed

8   Percentage of issued class:
Not disclosed

9   Class of security:
10 4/11p ordinary

10  Date of transaction:
6 October 2000

11  Date company informed:
6 October 2000

12  Total holding following this notification:
12,320,246

13  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification:
4.96%

14  Contact name for queries:
Mrs R J Marshall Smith

15 Contact telephone number:
01274 731111 extension 2310

16  Name of company official responsible for making notification:
Mrs R J Marshall Smith

17  Date of notification:
6 October 2000



Additional Information: