Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
20 January 2005


                   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                       1,401,622
BT Globenet Nominees Ltd                             2,900
Chase GA Group Nominees Ltd                          4,508,413
CUIM Nominee Ltd                                     1,627,813





5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


-



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


-



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


520,534



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


0.204%



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


18 January 2005



11. Date company informed


19 January 2005



12. Total holding following this notification


7,540,748



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)


2.96%



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 January 2005



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