Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
20 July 2006

                                  SCHEDULE 10

                   NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES



1. Name of company


Provident Financial plc



2. Name of shareholder having a major interest


The Capital Group Companies Inc. on behalf of its affiliates including Capital
International Inc., Capital Guardian Trust Company, Capital International S.A.
and Capital International Limited



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


Capital Guardian Trust Company:
Registered holder(s) names not disclosed                                                       3,738,545
Total                                                                                          3,738,545
Percentage of issued share capital                                                                1.463%

Capital International Limited:
State Street Nominees Limited                                                                    295,400
Bank of New York Nominees                                                                      5,366,161
Northern Trust                                                                                 2,377,551
Chase Nominees Limited                                                                         3,890,700
Midland Bank plc                                                                                 240,200
Bankers Trust                                                                                     89,600
Barclays Bank                                                                                     40,300
Morgan Guaranty                                                                                  423,500
Nortrust Nominees                                                                              3,167,000
MSS Nominees Limited                                                                              85,800
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                                                  1,036,600
Lloyds Bank                                                                                       69,300
Citibank NA                                                                                      968,800
Deutsche Bank AG                                                                                 181,000
Chase Manhattan Nominee Limited, Australia                                                        61,000
HSBC Bank plc                                                                                  1,552,600
Mellon Bank N.A.                                                                                 224,100
Northern Trust AVFC                                                                              378,000
KAS UK                                                                                           127,900
Bank One London                                                                                  293,800
HSBC                                                                                               8,300
JP Morgan Chase Bank                                                                              88,400
Raiffeisen Zentral Bank                                                                        1,324,800
Fortis Bank                                                                                       49,700
Metzler Seel Sohn & Co.                                                                          127,300
Nordea Bank                                                                                      221,300
Bayerische Hypo Und Vereinsbank AG                                                                61,000
Total                                                                                         22,750,112
Percentage of issued share capital                                                                8.902%

Capital International S.A.:
Bank of New York Nominees                                                                         11,100
Chase Nominees Limited                                                                         1,369,600
Midland Bank plc                                                                                 102,200
Barclays Bank                                                                                     13,900
Pictet & Cie, Geneva                                                                             138,600
Nortrust Nominees                                                                                 12,400
Morgan Stanley                                                                                    13,400
J.P.  Morgan                                                                                   1,083,979
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                                                    206,000
Lloyds Bank                                                                                       55,100
HSBC Bank plc                                                                                    378,600
J P Morgan Chase Bank                                                                             63,800
Metzler Seel Sohn & Co.                                                                           50,800
Credit Suisse, Zurich                                                                             27,600
Total                                                                                          3,527,079
Percentage of issued share capital                                                                1.380%

Capital International Inc.:
Bank of New York Nominees                                                                          4,600
Nortrust Nominees                                                                                314,703
HSBC Bank plc                                                                                     96,600
Total                                                                                            415,903
Percentage of issued share capital                                                               0.1627%



5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


Not applicable



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


Not applicable



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


Not disclosed



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


Not disclosed



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


18 July 2006





11. Date company informed


20 July 2006



12. Total holding following this notification


30,431,639



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)


11.907%



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 July 2006



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