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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.32 (888 reviews)

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1.32

Based on 888 reviews, last reviewed 9th Mar 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

43% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

88%

Latest highest rating:

4

The JLP card offers cashback based upon spending and... The JLP card offers cashback based upon spending and it is possible to generate £100+ cashback per year. Managing the account is straightforward via t... Read more Reviewed on: 22nd January 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

The fraud alert system is not fit for purpose. The fraud alert system blocks the card and does not allow easy confirmation of transaction to clear. This means that the card can be blocked for days.... Read more Reviewed on: 9th March 2026

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About this product

Read our John Lewis Finance Partnership Card reviews to help you to find out about the pros and cons of taking out the Partnership credit card. What kind of features does the John Lewis Partnership card have? What do people think of John Lewis' customer service? Does the card have great benefits?

Find out more about the Partnership card by reading our reviews from the Smart Money People community - people like you. You can also write your own John Lewis Partnership Card review to share your own experiences.

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John Lewis Partnership Card reviews (888)

Review of the John Lewis, Partnership Card:

JLP and Newday in cahoots.

Told I'm ineligible - despite >50 years loyal JLP customer, 5 figure credit limit and score excellent - I have after communications with JLP managers concluded that this oust has been orchestrated by JLP. From sources including JLP and Newday websites,, I speculate: JL stores are in financial difficulty, currently supported by Waitrose itself on the brink. It’s not that JLP doesn't want higher spending loyal customers, it sure does; but what it wants is custom that doesn’t sap profits.    With the HBSC JL Partnership card, each £1 spent qualifies for a point, whose number depends upon whether spent at JL and/or W or elsewhere. The more elsewhere the less JLP gets the more it costs JLP. I think it used to be one point for every £1 spent in JLP, two for every £1 elsewhere. Nowadays for some eligible purchases at JL and W 5 points for every £4 spent; and for other eligible purchases at JL and W 1 point for every £4; 1 point for every £4 spent elsewhere. Fewer vouchers for spending elsewhere is not a deterrent. For example, if a card-holder with £5,000 credit limit spends £4000 a month elsewhere then JLP issues vouchers. Vouchers can only be used in JL or W but it doesn't follow the purchase price has to exceed the vouchers value. A cardholder could amass a substantial sum in vouchers without having spent a penny at JL or W. When using vouchers to buy in JL or W not have to buy anything involving any extra payment for the difference between the vouchers and price. JLP would make a loss. JLP says that over the last five years £230m has been issued in vouchers. How much of approximately £126,000 a day average has gone to customers that haven't paid JLP anything. By enlisting Newday to either render higher credit limit existing Partnership cardholders ineligible or where the applicant is eligible a substantially lower limit JLP is reducing the value of vouchers issued. JLP is probably getting a share of any interest paid by new card-holders and paying a lower commission on receivables (transaction sales). JLP I suspect envisages that where an existing Partnership cardholder is rejected that person would obtain a desired credit limit from another card provider and continue to buy from JL/W whenever. Whether enough existing Partnership cardholders would want to continue loyal to JLP is a separate issue. A JLP partner qualifying for discount told me that for most goods and services there are cheaper deals elsewhere. Not a deposit-taker Newday hasn't any revenue beyond credit cards. It borrows to re-lend, loan note interest between 2% and 6+% a year - with interest rates rising costs will go up: for how much longer its business is sustainable is anyone's guess. To finance JLP's transaction, Newday has taken out a loan of £650M. Any cardholder paying the whole balance monthly is getting an interest-free loan from the date of purchase to balance payment date - if you time it carefully then up to 45 days - so for that reason alone an existing JL Partnership cardholder is ineligible. Newday plans to float shares on the stock market next year so boosting the number of cardholders is to impress shareholders. A £5000 credit limit to one card holder (unlikely to pay interest) is akin to £500 limit to 10 card holders (likely to pay some interest). The net proceeds of a stock market float (rumoured capitalisation £2.5Bn) would provide a injection of interest-free cash. The sad part is that JLP could increase its profit margin and number of loyal customers without having to resort to destroying long-term customer relationships with JLP. Instead of the vouchers issued regardless of where a JL Partnership cardholder spends, the vouchers should be linked to the myJohnLewis and myWaitrose cards. Show or scan a my-card before paying and have the voucher value credited to the my-card - and since printing on paper is costly to administer, to issue every JL and W customer a my-card which can be produced by the customer at the check-out for credit and debit with the points/voucher value. Reviewed on: 5th September 2022

REALLY SHOULD BE BETTER SERVICE AND COMMUNICATION

They have just changed their bank account details, however the informing letter is written in the smallest font with no hint about how important the message is..no bold, no big lettering , no red ink.. pathetic way of communicating something so important...signed off by "Emma Wilson, Director (no less) of Customer Contact Centres. On page 2 she tells us the sort code to use , she omits to say payee should be NewDay Ltd, not NewDay Bank. Phoned First Direct about this and they said New Day or J Lewis have not yet provided updated info so is not on their list of credit card payees yet. Eventually worked it out and tested with a £1 payment. Really don't like the way they treat customers and how they communicate. Reviewed on: 23rd October 2025

Uncompetitive time to pay

John Lewis Mastercard have a significantly shorter period between bill date and payment date. So much for never knowingly undersold. Spivy and mean minded. Reviewed on: 14th October 2025

If your phone is stolen, you cannot verify anything.

I had my phone and card stolen, to cancel your card you need your phone... to do anything, you need your phone. So then decided to used the chat service, only it said error! You need to have other methods of verification if the worst happens! Reviewed on: 25th September 2025

Extremely poor fraud customer service!

Extremely poor fraud customer service! Reviewed on: 22nd September 2025

Terrible Customer Service and Fraud Support

We have had a fraud claim on out account since May 2025, we have made 5 calls to try and get this resolved, spoken to 4 different Customer Service agents and everyone has told us a different procedure with no resolution 6 weeks later! The latest agent said the only way to try and get this resolved is for her to log a complaint against the dispute team - they would not even pass us through to a manager to discuss - staggering in todays world of financial scammers and fraud Reviewed on: 25th July 2025

Customer Service Very Poor

The card uses 3DS with a reasonable app. HOWEVER, their foreign transaction fraud screening is very high and ignores authorisation on the app. This is a problem if you transact over the internet, where your merchant isn't necessarily on the High Street. You have to call during their Fraud Screening opening hours, which I did and was put on hold for 12 minutes. The agent picked up the call and said 'Hello'. I picked the phone up off the desk and hit unmute and she dropped the call - literally less than a two seconds. So I had to call back and wait another 11 minutes. I gave up half an hour of my day (and was charged for the call), to confirm a transaction I had already authenticated in the app. You also can't file a complaint over the phone after 5pm or via email. Reviewed on: 22nd July 2025

Paid my monthly statement on time and through my ban...

Paid my monthly statement on time and through my bank as per usual , the monies left my account on the day and John Lewis advised the amount was still outstanding , advised and sent screenshots of the parent made and it transpired that John Lewis had lost the payment in there system , yes they returned my late charges but with zero apology or compensation for all the anxiety and stress John Lewis caused , awful service awful awful service Reviewed on: 8th July 2025

had a partnership card for years now.

had a partnership card for years now. love the rewards vouchers on spends and the points you are awarded for using their credit card which i normally amass and spend in the new year sales. customer service is always good and the guarantees although it can be a pain sometimes to find the contact details Reviewed on: 12th June 2025

Unable to contact to unblock card outside office hours

I have had 2 vital payments blocked on a Sunday due to the algorithm thinking it was fraudulent activity. But Anyday is NoT open before 10am and after 4pm so you can not call to unblock your card. Been unable to purchase petrol on one occasion and unable to pay for a food order delivery due at 8am when expecting 30 for lunch at 12pm. I have made an official complaint but nothing changed. It is not acceptable. I will be cancelling my card. Reviewed on: 9th June 2025

I just really like the Parnership card.

I just really like the Parnership card. I makes things easier to purchase and the settings let you know when payment is due. It's very simple and has made my life easier. I'd recommend it to friends and family. Reviewed on: 27th May 2025

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