Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
16 March 2004


                   NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES



1. Name of company


Provident Financial plc



2. Name of shareholder having a major interest


Morley Fund Management Limited/Aviva 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 shareholders 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


BNY Norwich Union Nominees Ltd                                                  2,799,922
BT Globenet Nominees Ltd                                                            2,900
Chase GA Group Nominees Ltd                                                     6,798,293
CUIM Nominee Ltd                                                                3,087,753





5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


-



6. Percentage of issued class


-



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


125,484



8. Percentage of issued class


0.049%



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


12 March 2004



11. Date company informed


16 March 2004



12. Total holding following this notification


12,688,868



13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification


4.980%



14. Any additional information


-



15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries


Caroline L Farbridge

01274 731111 ext. 2569



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


Caroline L Farbridge

Assistant Company Secretary



Date of notification


16 March 2004




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