"Most people in this country are honest people,
who keep their commitments."

Sir Joshua A. Waddilove

This is the original corporate philosophy and motto of the founder of the company, Sir Joshua A Waddilove. Even though the company was founded 124 years ago, this sentiment remains central to our activities today.

England, 1880.
Insurance agent Sir Joshua Waddilove was shocked by the poverty of the working class, and the difficulty they faced in saving for essentials like shoes, clothes and household items. He found a way to provide affordable credit that would be accepted by local shop owners; credit that was the predecessor of the modern credit card. These cheques from Provident were used as a means of payment in selected local shops. Thanks to the high demand, Waddilove hired a group of sales representatives to help him deliver vouchers and collect repayments. The family owned business developed quickly and in 1962, became a public company to fund future growth.

Present time

Today we are the international market leader in home credit. In the 1990s the UK company expanded abroad to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Total number of customers is almost 4 million in 2005

We bring our customers the finance they need through small cash loans, which are delivered and repaid in the secure environment of their own home. Our product is absolutely transparent and open; from the very beginning, you will know how much you are going to repay and the assurance that this amount will not rise even if you miss a repayment or take longer to repay the loan. Add to this the advantages of avoiding queues, postage costs and complicated forms and it is clear that we offer a convenient and competitive service.

Our success is based on building relationships. We rely on the abilities of sales representatives and their contact with millions of customers each week. They underpin our business, building relationships with customers.

Provident Financial Group

Our group consists of three divisions. The UK consumer credit division provides home credit and car finance to customers in the UK and is currently conducting a credit card pilot. The international division focuses on home credit currently in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Mexico. And lastly, the motor insurance division specialises in underwriting non-comprehensive policies for women and drivers of older and second cars. Customer satisfaction is high throughout the group.  For example, research shows that nine out of ten customers would recommend our services to others.