Director Shareholding

UK Coal PLC
19 May 2003






                                                                     19 May 2003


                                  UK COAL PLC
                                        
                                        
                                        
                      NOTIFICATION OF DIRECTORS' INTERESTS
                                        

UK COAL plc (the Company) wishes to notify the following changes in Directors'
interests arising out of the maturity of awards under its Long Term Incentive
Plan (LTIP).


The performance period for these awards was the three financial years 2000-2002.


On 19 May 2003, the following ordinary shares in the Company (Shares) were
transferred to the Directors named below who have exercised their right under
the LTIP rules to receive Shares awarded in May 2000. The total shareholder
return over the performance period was 141% resulting in the vesting of 91% of
the Shares under awards. In connection with the vesting of the awards, the
Trustee of the UK Coal Employee Share Trust (the Trust) has in accordance with
the rules adjusted the number of Shares under awards to take account of
reinvestment of dividends paid over the period 2000 - 2002 inclusive. The result
of this adjustment has been to increase the number of Shares under each award by
60.7%. The adjusted number of Shares available to participants is as set out
below:

Name of Director                             No of Shares

G A McPhie                                    454,044
P S O'Brien                                   377,876
M Garness                                     377,876


The rules require that sufficient shares are sold to discharge the PAYE tax
liability on the Shares released. In consequence, the Shares set out in the
second column below were sold on 16 May 2003 at a price of 84p per Share,
leaving the after-tax number of Shares set out the final column below:

Name of Director       No of Shares Sold         No of Shares Retained

G A McPhie                  186,158                         267,886
P S O'Brien                 154,929                         222,947
M Garness                   154,929                         222,947


As a result of the transactions referred to above, the Executive Directors are
interested in the following Shares (excluding Shares to which they may become
entitled, subject to satisfaction of any relevant conditions, under the rules of
the LTIP and Bonus Share Matching Plan):



Name of Director                             No of Shares
G A McPhie                                     449,985
P S O'Brien                                    381,126
M Garness                                      351,293



The Trust holds a total of 96,110 Shares, representing 0.07% of the Company's
issued share capital (excluding the Shares held as nominee for Executive
Directors under the Bonus Share Matching Plan). The Executive Directors are
deemed for Companies Act purposes to be interested in all these Shares held by
the Trust.



                                   M Garness

                          Director & Company Secretary






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