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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

1.33
Based on 876 reviews, last reviewed 25th Sep 2025
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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
carol cheshire's avatar
carol cheshire

Latest lowest rating:

1

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 servi... Read more Reviewed on: 25th September 2025
Lexee's avatar
Lexee

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 (876)

Review of the John Lewis, Partnership Card:

JLP and Newday in cahoots.

1
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

How to lose loyalty

2
It took forever to find my outstanding balance. I wanted to clear my balance. I have had a JLP card since 1978. This whole card change has been a mess. No information until the last minute and no assistance with the transfer. I'm elderly . I could have done with clearer instructions re activation of the new card. The NEWDAY operative was super BUT it's still not operational. JLP are not responding to me. I had to contact lost and stolen cards for help with regard to the information I needed. Exceptionally helpful woman BUT this is not her job. I have paid my balance in full but I will not be using JLP again. That's 44 years of loyalty lost. Never knowingly undersold.? Currently undervaluing the customer. Reviewed on: 11th October 2022

John Lewis needs to sort this out!

1
Like many others, I have been refused a new card by Newday, the providers of the replacement partnership card. I have been told I have to sort this out with Newday as JL cannot help me. I'm still hanging on to speak to someone there after 20minutes so I'll probably give up soon. I have a 999 credit rating (just checked online) with no problems at all. I have been a loyal customer with John Lewis for more years than I care to remember and I am disgusted at having been treated like this. I have a £10K credit limit on the existing card and always clear off the balance monthly. I suppose they won't make any money out of me so my business will need to go elsewhere. John Lewis have badly let their loyal customers down. Reviewed on: 11th October 2022

absolutely appalling

1
i have never ever been in debt on a CC or not paid but now I am, for some reason my initial payment never went through so i used the app to check i had the correct details to tranfer. the agent on the app chat gave me sort code/account and i then transferred over the money he then realised he gave me the wrong details so i paid over £500 into another of their accounts I am now waiting for the money to reappear on my account so i can try again. In the mean time I am now a late payer, can not use my card and possible now have a bad debt showing even after two calls - one that cut off after 30 minutes of conversations I am no where my suggestions DO NOT USE John Lewis you have really got this wrong Reviewed on: 11th October 2022

John Lewis Partnership Card

1
Like many others on here I have had a JL credit card for a number of years with absolutely no problems. At their request I applied for a replacement card with their new partners New Day but was rejected for no apparent reason. I have a good credit rating and pay off my credit card balance every month. Complaints to both New Day and John Lewis have met a brick wall. I will be taking my business elsewhere. Reviewed on: 11th October 2022

Total catastrophe

1
Received the card ok but since then payments to them have been lost. They don’t seem able to tell me the correct payment details and gave my bank details and said to use a Debenhams reference! Once I have cleared my total balance by DD I am unlikely to use it again. Reviewed on: 11th October 2022

john lewis new credit card

1
have a held John lewis card for years 14000 credit limit and paid off in full each month applied for their card and was rejected with no reason at all. Then told old card cancelled end of month . A disgraceful way to treat a loyal customer. Reviewed on: 10th October 2022

John Lewis - name and shame!

1
Have been a John Lewis Partnership Card for 15 years, I have a £25k credit limit and pay off the card monthly - I have been refused a card by JL's new provider but no-one will tell me why. Shame on John Lewis - could I have never have thought I would describe this organisation in this way. Reviewed on: 10th October 2022

Just awful

1
Like others.. loyal JL customer but rejected for a new card. Just bought a dishwasher and coffee machine from another company. Reviewed on: 10th October 2022

hopeless service

1
they cancelled old card .new company kept me on hold and disconected after 14 minutes. do not use this new company. they are based in the far east. john lewis have let there card custormers down badly. Reviewed on: 10th October 2022

New John Lewis partnership card

1
Some serious problems with applying for this card. I have been a customer for 20 years + and have found it pretty much impossible to apply/ get accepted for this card.. Am applying to M+S instead now. Senior JL management I would suggest you sort this fiasco out quickly as you have managed to alienate a lot of loyal customers very quickly. Reviewed on: 10th October 2022

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