Purchase of Own Securities

Provident Financial PLC
1 March 2000


Share Repurchase

Provident Financial plc (the 'Company') announces that, pursuant to the
authority conferred at the Annual General Meeting on 29 April 1999, on 1 March
2000 it purchased 36,000 ordinary shares for cancellation at a price of
512.3056p per share through Merrill Lynch. This purchase represents
approximately 0.014% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital and brings
the aggregate number of shares purchased by the Company since 26 October 1999
to 10,588,189.

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