NOTIFICATION OF INTERESTS OF DIRECTORS AND CONNECTED PERSONS

1. Name of company

Provident Financial plc

2. Name of director

Robin James Ashton

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 or in respect of a non-beneficial interest

Notification in respect of director 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 (if notified)

Robin James Ashton

5. Please state whether notification relates to a person(s) connected with the director named in 2 above and identify the connected person(s)

Notification in respect of director named in 2 above

6. Please state the nature of the transaction. For PEP transactions please indicate whether general/single co PEP and if discretionary/non discretionary

Provident Financial Trustees (Performance Share Plan) Limited purchased 7,036 ordinary shares of 10 4/11p and transferred the legal and beneficial interest to Robin James Ashton in satisfaction of basic and matching awards granted subject to and in accordance with the terms of the Provident Financial Performance Share Plan

7. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired

7,036

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

0.0028%

9. Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

-

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

-

11. Class of security

Ordinary shares of 10 4/11p

12. Price per share

708p

13. Date of transaction

17 March 2005

14. Date company informed

17 March 2005

15. Total holding following this notification

63,552

16. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification (any treasury shares held by company should not be taken into account when calculating percentage)

0.0249%

If a director has been granted options by the company please complete the following boxes.

17. Date of grant

-

18. Period during which or date on which exercisable

-

19. Total amount paid (if any) for grant of the option

-

20. Description of shares or debentures involved: class, number

-

21. Exercise price (if fixed at time of grant) or indication that price is to be fixed at time of exercise

-

22. Total number of shares or debentures over which options held following this notification

-

23. Any additional information

-

24. Name of contact and telephone number for queries

Rosamond J Marshall Smith
Tel:  01274 731111 ext. 2356

25. Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for making this notification

Rosamond J Marshall Smith
General Counsel and Company Secretary

Date of Notification

17 March 2005

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