Write a review

Newsletter

Go to business site

John Lewis: Partnership credit card reviews

Name: Partnership credit card
Rating: 2.06 (899 reviews)

View other John Lewis products

2.06

Based on 899 reviews, last reviewed 22nd Jun 2026

300% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

No new 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

87%

Latest highest rating:

5

Problem free credit card Problem free credit card which makes it easy for me to budget my every day expenses without the worry of being saddled with unsustainable debt. Reviewed on: 12th June 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

Poor customer experience Received a text message to call New Day urgently re suspected fraud when trying to renew my car insurance online and payment was blocked. Immediately... Read more Reviewed on: 22nd June 2026

Read all reviews See your review

About this product

With the John Lewis Partnership credit card, you earn points on eligible purchases to get John Lewis and Waitrose gift cards.

You can check your eligibility in minutes without affecting your credit rating. There are also John Lewis Partnership cardholder offers, prize draws and opportunities to boost your points.

John Lewis Partnership credit card reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used John Lewis before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

John Lewis Partnership credit card reviews (899)

Review of the John Lewis, Partnership credit 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

Balance transfer not actually zero percent

I used the John Lewis offer of transferring my old balance from the HSBC provided card to tye new card provided by New Day. Thinking I would have the extra period to pay this off. Imagine my surprise when I see interest on my next statement. After calling and speaking to a New Day rep on behalf of John Lewis I was advised the only way not to pay interest was to clear the whole balance including the interest free balance transfer. I was advised that the company used money I payed to cover both the retail spend and balance transfer spend. I have put in a formal complaint as I said this is against what is advertised. Plus no other credit card works thi.s way. I am now waiting on a response from my complaint. But after being a John Lewis customer for 35 years I am on the verge of closing my account. Reviewed on: 31st December 2022

Avoid! Avoid! Avoid!

It seems like I am one of many loyal and long-standing John Lewis Partnership Cardholders who have been truly and utterly sold down the river. The change in credit card provider from HSBC to New Day has been nothing short of farcical. The whole process has been confusing, complicated and hugely stressful. Like others have said the 0% Balance Transfer option is a scam. After years of clearing the balance each month I am now being hit with interest charges left, right and centre and I have been left seriously out of pocket at a time when things are hard enough as it is with soaring inflation and the cost of living crisis. The Customer Service was New Day has been non-existent. With this disastrous change John Lewis has shown nothing but contempt for its customers. If I could give them a 0 out of 5 rating I would but unfortunately I can't proceed with this review without giving them at least one star. Reviewed on: 30th December 2022

Waste of time, lies all the way down

Offered a massively worse APR than the previous card despite the offer to transfer over with a comparable APR. Totally pointless. Reviewed on: 30th December 2022

The 0% transfer from the old John Lewis credit card is a scam

We paid a transfer fee equivalent to 2% of the balance left on our old John Lewis credit card account to New Day, having been attracted to the "0% on balance transfers for up to 6 months" promotion advertised by John Lewis Financial Services. Our intention was to clear the transferred amount over six months at 0% interest and also use the new card for current purchases, subject to the usual interest charges if not paid off in full each month. Our first statement from New Day shows that not only our current purchases are subject to an interest rate, but also the balance transferred, totally contradicting the workings of a 0% transfer deal. The only way you would therefore be able to pay off the balance transfer without incurring further interest, would be to not use the card until the original debt is cleared! This surely will not be in John Lewis' interest. We have lodged a complaint through one of New Day's agents, but the complaint will not be processed until after the payment is due. Will escalate this to Trust Pilot, John Lewis and Money Saving Expert. Reviewed on: 29th December 2022

Help desk a complete failure

Unable to unblock my card despite speaking to a person. No statements issued either by post or e mail so unable to view statents or make a payment. New Days chat line a complete waste of time as all they want you to do is ring again without providing any help. Reviewed on: 29th December 2022

is a con with the 0% transfer don't do it

Took the 0% transfer offer pay the fee but I got charged interest if I don't pay in full amount That doesn't make any sense what so ever Stay way from John Lewis card If I can I will give 0 rating Reviewed on: 28th December 2022

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

They had a credit card that worked. They changed it. It is now impossible to manage my account or to pay my balance. Also there's no way of reducing credit limit. No customer service email address, have ring or write. Frustrating waste of time. Will be closing my account after nearly 20 years of having it. Sad, but necessary Reviewed on: 28th December 2022

Customer turkey purchase

We served customers with turkeys as we have for several years. John Lewis Partnership cards failed to work for nearly all our customers. It was an utter disgrace. Some customers had to either owe or use an alternative card. Reviewed on: 28th December 2022

TOTAL CRAP

AWFUL GOD FORBID WHY CHANGE THIS LOT ARE USELESS ANYWAY NOW HAVE AN M&S CARD SO MUCH EASIER SO MUCH BETTER SO ITS NOW BYE BYE JOHN LEWIS AND BYE BYE WAITROSE Reviewed on: 28th December 2022

Abysmal customer service

I've been a John Lewis credit card customer for years. HSBC, the previous card provider was efficient, approachable and courteous. New Day operates like a loan company, sending reminders to pay your bill as soon as the statement appears, and advising me to set up a DD which I have no intention of doing. I always pay in full prior to the due date using the online system and have never defaulted on payment - this is my preferred method and it was never an issue with HSBC My credit limit was almost halved and the payment terms have been reduced to 2 weeks. There is no incentive to continue with this card and I shall pay in full this month and move to another card provider. My credit rating is excellent so this won't be a problem. John Lewis has lost another loyal customer. I can only assume the change to New Day was advantageous to John Lewis because it certainly isn't to customers Reviewed on: 27th December 2022

Do you have a different John Lewis product?

Share your experiences with products to help others make smarter financial decisions and learn more about different products available. Write a review

Are you a business? Get insights, reply to reviews, invite customers and understand their needs

Alternative products

Platinum Cashback Credit Card
from American Express 4.34 from 71 reviews
Gold Card
from first direct 4.23 from 9 reviews
Credit card (discontinued)
from Tandem 4.65 from 358 reviews

Want to see more from John Lewis?

Travel Insurance
from John Lewis 4.08 from 4 reviews
Breakdown Insurance
from John Lewis 4.03 from 1 reviews
Car insurance
from John Lewis 2.80 from 33 reviews

View all products

Join Smart Money People

Keep up to date on ratings of your favourite businesses. Find out about our awards and write new reviews with ease

Create an account

News, guides and insight from our team

View resource hub