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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

1.34
Based on 874 reviews, last reviewed 25th Jul 2025
100% decrease in 5 star reviews
in the past 90 days
40% decrease in 1 star reviews
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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
carol cheshire's avatar
carol cheshire

Latest lowest rating:

1

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 age... Read more Reviewed on: 25th July 2025
Mike C's avatar
Mike C

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?

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John Lewis Partnership Card reviews (874)

Inexplicable rejection for new Partnership Card

1
After initially being incensed and frustrated after several long calls, appeals and letters having been a long standing John Lewis cardholder with a sizeable credit limit, at my seemingly inexplicable rejection, homeowner, 999 credit rating sizeable income etc etc, I have read these reviews and am now intensely grateful that I have been rejected. If anyone is collecting ageist or sexist reasons - I exactly fit the bill I am a widow over 60. Why on earth John Lewis has gone out of its way to change provider from a respected bank to a bunch of cowboys who are immediately alienating their primary target shoppers by denying them a credit card is a complete mystery. I had always associated John Lewis with quality and customer service and New Day is a very long stretch away from that. I have now switched to a Sainsbury card and looking forward to saving money on petrol and my groceries. Good bye John Lewis. Reviewed on: 5th October 2022

There are no stars, but had to put one, reluctantly.

1
Having had a Partnership card for nearly 20 years with a £17000 credit limit, I have been issued with a new card issued by Newday, (who are not an actual bank) with a reduced credit limit. This has also reduced my 999 credit score to 987. Like so many long standing and loyal customers of John Lewis I have therefore cancelled my account and am appalled how John Lewis can disregard so many of us. This would never had have happened on Andy Street's watch who had Customer Service run through his veins. Reviewed on: 5th October 2022

A complete and utter waste of time and effort

1
John Lewis has been on a downward spiral for some years now and this New Day credit card is helping them continue the process. This new credit card gave me a credit limit of less than 8% of the one being withdrawn making it useless. Talking to their telephone operator was pointless and having waited more than 30 minutes to log a complaint (the operator's suggestion) and all I heard was the usual garbage of there being an exceptionally large number of calls but no Human Being answered . I tried again and wasted my time with a New Day Robot asking for the card number over and over again. Then of course there is the John Lewis complaint procedure that has been moved to the Carribean where it is so difficult to even understand the operator at all. I was given a number for the UK but ended back in the Carribean again to be told that I should try again and hopefully I will be lucky. John Lewis please please please wind your retail operations up and put us all out of our misery and then perhaps some new operation can emerge that might offer new a never being knowingly undersold slogan with genuine customer support and not a hopeless automaton that you think, quite incorrectly, are mankind's salvation. Finally the card from New Day sent to me: I shall not bother to activate it despite of all those emails asking me to. Reviewed on: 5th October 2022

Accepted ,no card

1
After much frustration Finally sorted out transferring to new account after giving up on the phone and on line and eventually going into a store. That was over a month ago received pin nos immediately but still no card ,can’t get through on phone , am now applying for M and S instead Reviewed on: 5th October 2022

Partnership Card debacle

1
After reading the reviews and having experience of New Day in the past I have mad a decision to cease doing business with John Lewis Finance and move my business to M&S. Interestingly M&S card services are provided by HSBC and my customer service experience was flawless - I didn't receive a confirmation email for my application so I contacted M&S (HSBC) and they resolved it within minutes, acceptance email sent and signed all within a few minutes of calling, oh and no 45 minute wait either! New Day are sub-prime specialists (credit builders) and I suspect the way they finance their financial commitments is not the same as major well funded banks. I work in finance, so I suspect their credit capabilities are based on what they can leverage from the markets - which may explain the reduced credit limits as they simply can't underwrite that volume of debt. It also explains their reduced interest free period as they need the cash flow to fund their markeet exposure. Is this really the kind of business JLP wants to be associated with? Anyway I'm looking forward to a long and rewarding relationship with M&S now. Reviewed on: 5th October 2022

Very unfaithful with customer

2
They closed the old credit card for odd reason but refused their existing customer to have the new one card despite of having good credit with them. Very disappointed Reviewed on: 4th October 2022

Time to do a Truss turnaround JL

1
The above one-star review relates only to the fiasco of applying for the new card. In fact my own application sailed through without a hitch, but my husband was refused in spite of much discussion with New Day. I then received an email from JL congratulating me on having been successful. The gall of it. In view of the comments from other users on this site, I doubt I shall use the card when it finally arrives. Reviewed on: 4th October 2022

New JL credit card

1
Had my old card for around 15 years, always paid on time and have great credit rating. Applied for and received new card but queried the new credit limit of £250 (versus my old limited of over £6k !!) just received letter to say my complaint has been rejected and the £250 stands ! Sorry JL but that’s not even enough to do my sainsburys shop ! So I’m off and can’t even be bothered to activate my new card . Think you will come to regret this decision, all you seem to have achieved is to alienate your loyal customer base….. so long ….. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2022

Shame on you. Loyal customer, perfect pay history, credit limit slashed

1
High earner, long standing customer, regularly spending 10k or more per month on the card and paying off in full. Processed the new application with code provided and got credit limit slashed by 90% to a fraction of typical monthly spend. Pressed cancel and applied online for Amex card. Accepted in seconds with a credit limit more than double the previous JLP limit, plus loads of extra benefits and services besides. Bye, bye JLP & Waitrose. There’s plenty of alternatives out there. Your loss their gain. Shame on you for teaming up with such a low quality company. It’s clear from all these reviews they are not interested in better credit-rated customers who spend a lot of money and pay off their balance, but only those who pay interest, even encouraging payment of the minimum amount which financially costs those customers the most. That will come home to roost when they realise the amount of money spent is a fraction of the amount that HSBC processed (and John Lewis see their sales tumble too) whilst lower credit quality loans are the first to default in a recession- which is looming fast. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2022

This is specifically about the new JL credit card - not JL in general. And it's pants.

1
It's a mess. If you want to keep your rewards going, you have to switch to this card provided by 'New Day'. As many others have remarked, the website is set up to encourage you only to pay a minimum amount, and thus pay interest. Which, of course, is how credit card companies earn their money, but this is pretty blatant. The website is also inaccurate, and frequently impossible to login. I paid the full amount of my first statement balance; three days later I got an email telling me I had to pay £5 within 6 days. No explanation. I wish I had not taken out this new card, and I will stop using it. I'm really surprised and disappointed at John Lewis getting into bed with such an outfit. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2022

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