Purchase of Own Securities

Provident Financial PLC
24 February 2000
                               
                       Share repurchase
                               
                               
Provident Financial plc (the 'Company') announces that,
pursuant to the authority conferred at the Annual General
Meeting on 29 April 1999, it has purchased a further 400,000
ordinary shares for cancellation at a price of 518p per share
through Dresdner Kleinwort Benson.  This purchase represents
approximately 0.155 per cent. of the Company's issued ordinary
share capital and brings the aggregate number of shares
purchased by the Company since 26 October 1999 to 5,900,486.

Enquiries to:
Mrs R J Marshall Smith
Assistant Company Secretary
Tel: [phone]