Write a review

Go to business site

John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.31 (890 reviews)

View other John Lewis products

1.31

Based on 890 reviews, last reviewed 27th Mar 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

20% increase 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

I used my card to pay for petrol at my local Sainsbu... I used my card to pay for petrol at my local Sainsbury's. Later that day I received a message saying there was a suspicion of fraud. A simple glance a... Read more Reviewed on: 27th March 2026

Read all reviews See your review

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.

Smart Money People is the UK's leading financial services review and insight hub. Together, we can make financial services work better for everyone.

John Lewis Partnership Card reviews (890)

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

Shocked and Very Upset

I have had a John Lewis partnership card for 20 years and always pay off the full amount. I would have given the service 5 stars previously. My application for the new NewDay card has been refused and I can't find out why without writing a letter! John Lewis you are alienating your most loyal customers! Reviewed on: 8th October 2022

New JL card service is inferior

after years of using the old partnership card with good service I am very disappointed with the new card provider. Twice my card has been rejected on line and the provider claims no trace of the attempted transaction which went through when I uedv another cc. The wait time and ridiculous number of options on the phone is unacceptable. The staff don't seem surprised at the problems and admitted they are new and having issues. I guess this new provider is cheaper for JL and mirrors the rest of their failing customer service. Reviewed on: 7th October 2022

Dealt with John Lewis fianace for 20 plus years have now closed account.

I have used a John Lewis Credit card for more than 20 years with no problems at all until they changed provider. I applied for cards for myself and my wife to replace the old cards. I have been unable to activate the cards. I have been completely unable to get an answer to my phonecalls from the new provider. John Lewis do answer but say they cant do anything phone the new provider. I have cut up and binned the cards and closed the account. Reviewed on: 7th October 2022

Total Foul up for New day Credit Card applications

I have been a loyal John Lewis for many years but it seems JL does not value such as their transition to New Day has left me and others fuming with their ineptitude..Avoid. Reviewed on: 7th October 2022

Rubbish partnership card

The old John Lewis partnership credit card was very good and myself and my wife used it for every thing even holidays and we always paid the full balance off every month. With all credit cards you have a set period of time during which no interest is charged (This is called the interest free period), usually between 20 and 55 days. For some reason John Lewis or New Day has decided this is far too generous and has reduced this to a very mean 10 days. We have other credit cards that allow at the very least 24 days interest free credit. Goodbye John Lewis Partnership card!! Reviewed on: 6th October 2022

Poor Service

Having spent over one hour on the telephone trying to resolve an issue with my purchase of foreign currency on line I reluctantly gave up. I tried another retailer and had my order processed within five minutes. I remember well the days when John Lewis was renowned for its customer service, those days have sadly gone. I'm considering like so many others cancelling my account and moving to a retailer who can genuinely look after customers. Reviewed on: 5th October 2022

Inexplicable rejection for new Partnership Card

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.

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

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

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

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

Charge Card
from American Express 4.05 from 24 reviews
Marbles Credit Card
from NewDay 4.90 from 540 reviews
Purchase Credit Card
from Bank of Scotland 4.53 from 10 reviews

Want to see more from John Lewis?

Travel Insurance
from John Lewis 4.75 from 3 reviews
Breakdown Insurance
from John Lewis 4.00 from 1 reviews
Home insurance
from John Lewis 2.05 from 77 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