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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.33 (882 reviews)

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1.32

Based on 882 reviews, last reviewed 12th Nov 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

75% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

88%

Latest highest rating:

5

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 ... Read more Reviewed on: 12th June 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

Lost my £3000 payment to my Partnership card Lost my £3000 payment to my Partnership card through their app for 2 weeks, causing much stress and many phone calls trying to get my money back - as ... Read more Reviewed on: 12th November 2025

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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 (882)

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

Customer advisors did not do as requested

My review is based on the old provider of the partnership card. Took forever to speak to someone & when I did I didn't like their tone & instructed them to close down my account, advisor did not tell me that I had to ring back after 2 days & I ended up being chased for credit card debt plus interest that I didn't even know about. Managers in the UK listened to the call and found in my favour wiping the debt and awarding me financial compensation. Was looking at applying for the card again with the new provider but reading these reviews I have decided to avoid like the plague! Seems like the John Lewis partnership card is now even worse! Reviewed on: 27th October 2022

What a debacle

Like countless other loyal John Lewis and Waitrose customers, I have been rejected by Newday, and have today received a cold, impersonal email reminding me that my Partnership Card is about to stop working. To me, my Partnership card wasn't just a credit card, it made me feel part of the John Lewis family, which once had a reputation for reliability and excellent customer service. Whatever has gone wrong?! I can only hope that John Lewis learn something from this debacle. Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

New John Lewis Partnership Card: useless

The software seems to be completely untested - the balance on my phone app and the balance online are different. Ridiculous! Both the app and the online account tell me there is a minimum amount due, even though there isn't because I've paid the bill Though even though I've paid the bill I received an email asking for payment. Embarrassingly useless. Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

Goodbye John Lewis

With a £10,000 limit on my card which I have had for over 10 years I have been turned down for a new card. You have lost a customer for your stores. Goodbye. Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

How hopeless for what was once a great department store

After 53 years of a credit card first from the shop then partnership card, never received code for online application, attempt to do it by telephone. After 27 mins wait , i spoke to a most unhelpful not to say rude handler and gave up. A Case reference followed my letter of complaint but nothing followed. So my bank credit card and another shop's card will have to suffice . Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

Incomprehensible Account Manager

It is utterly impossible to understand what is owed, what I've paid and what I've spent. Talk about a 'dog's dinner'! Please sort this out and put something sensible on this site. And give proper details for how to pay by BACS which I've always done easily before. Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

A total shambles

I am cutting up my John Lewis Partnership card. I have had it for 20 years. Despite paying off the amount due and having a good income and credit score I was refused a new one. no one could tell me why and I couldn't go through the process again. I have concluded I am not a good customer to have. They don't earn interest from me and have to reward my spending. That coupled alone with declining service in the shops is very disappointing. I think Ms White needs to re evaluate. Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

Why why why New Partnership card

20 years a JL customer, shut the local York store. Reduced value of reward vouchers now chopped my available credit from £12000 to £4000, impossible to speak to anyone at JL. Complete disregard for customer loyalty, shame on you JL Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

Not impressed

Couldn’t get the new card working. Now glad l didn’t. Very disappointed after 20 plus years of having the card and paying off. Now heard vouchers that l have will not be given because under £50. Come on j Lewis can you afford to turn away good customers . Have gone to m&s have no reason to shop j Lewis now! Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

What a total hassle to try and get a new credit card with new provider

So much false information given by John lewis,told I could go into any waitrose store to complete transfer form wrong I could make a trip to Exeter 28 miles appointment needed..........Very poor customer service after years of perfect service Reviewed on: 26th October 2022

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