Holding(s) in Company

Provident Financial PLC
18 July 2005

                                  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 Limited/
Capital International S.A.



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




Chase Nominees Limited                                                                               460,400
Nortrust Nominees                                                                                    233,100
Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited                                                                          26,200
State Street Nominees Limited                                                                        384,400
Bank of New York Nominees                                                                          3,895,907
Northern Trust                                                                                     1,408,263
Chase Nominees Limited                                                                             2,566,600
Midland Bank plc                                                                                     121,400
Bankers Trust                                                                                        216,700
Barclays Bank                                                                                         79,500
Citibank London                                                                                      344,300
Morgan Guaranty                                                                                      242,800
Nortrust Nominees                                                                                  2,787,400
Royal Bank of Scotland                                                                               561,500
MSS Nominees Limited                                                                                  85,800
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                                                        595,700
National Westminster Bank                                                                             74,600
Lloyds Bank                                                                                           49,200
Citibank NA                                                                                           17,500
Deutsche Bank AG                                                                                     994,800
Chase Manhattan Nominee Ltd                                                                           61,000
HSBC Bank plc                                                                                        789,900
Mellon Bank N.A.                                                                                     147,200
Northern Trust AVFC                                                                                   66,400
KAS UK                                                                                                48,100
Bank One London                                                                                      176,100
Clydesdale Bank plc                                                                                   57,800
JP Morgan Chase Bank                                                                                  22,300
State Street Nominees Limited                                                                         10,100
Bank of New York Nominees                                                                             25,600
Chase Nominees Limited                                                                               507,400
Credit Suisse London Branch                                                                           17,300
Midland Bank plc                                                                                      51,300
Barclays Bank                                                                                         28,500
Pictet & Cie, Geneva                                                                                  13,900
Citbank London                                                                                        20,600
Nortrust Nominees                                                                                      7,200
Morgan Stanley                                                                                        10,700
Royal Bank of Scotland                                                                                70,100
JP Morgan                                                                                            686,079
State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                                                         34,000
National Westminster Bank                                                                             16,100
Lloyds Bank                                                                                           24,800
RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                                                                    37,600
Deutsche Bank AG                                                                                      26,300
HSBC Bank plc                                                                                        170,500
HSBC                                                                                                  16,200

Bank of New York Nominees                                                                              4,600
Nortrust Nominees                                                                                    169,500
HSBC Bank plc                                                                                         33,700




5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired


Not disclosed



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


Not disclosed



7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed


-



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


-



9. Class of security


Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p



10. Date of transaction


14 July 2005




11. Date company informed


15 July 2005



12. Total holding following this notification


18,496,949



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)


7.241%



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


18 July 2005



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for loss of business or loss of profits) arising in contract, tort or otherwise
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it, or from any action or decision taken as a result of using this document or
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