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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

New day POOR

1
Applied for a new JLP card,held a card for 10 years always pay off payment and clear balance,application was denied,not a happy customer,BYE BYE JOHN LEWIS Reviewed on: 1st October 2022

new credit card problem

1
To entice people to switch to the new card offers like lots of extra points being added so I switched and ordered new carpet for our dining room. when asked to pay John Lewis, I tried to do so using the new card and it was rejected by John Lewis. Says a lot when a company rejects their own card! In the end I had to pay using the old one. Now I am trying to pay my balance owing and cannot find details of where and how to pay on line by BACS. I do not want to set up a direct debit or pay via some App on my phone. You have made a big mistake John Lewis switching to New Day. Otherwise shop customer service is great. Reviewed on: 1st October 2022

Told to make payment to Amazon!!!

1
Received card ok but trying to pay on-line through my bank impossible. Finally managed to contact NewDay and was told that they deal with many companies and to enter 'Amazon' as the payee and it would be transferred to the correct account - because they haven't set up the John Lewis Partnership Card yet! Thank you Mohammed. They cannot be serious. Will be cancelling. Reviewed on: 1st October 2022

New Day inefficiency

1
Told my account had been accepted and cards had been issued. Two phone calls later when cards had not materialised, I find that my account has been cancelled in error and I can't reapply until 16th November!! I had problems when NewDay when they were the credit card provider for Debenhams. Doesn't look as though things have improved. Trying to speak to someone at NewDay is a nightmare. Reviewed on: 1st October 2022

New Cc fisco

1
Echoing prev comments re reapplying for a JL card I tried complaining. Have just received a complaint denied letter, giving no reason for not being able to continue with a company I have used for over 20 yrs. Appallingly disappointed in JL's customer 'service'. Reviewed on: 30th September 2022

Unable to access the account on line

1
Received the card weeks ago, and have previously accessed my account without any problems. HOWEVER, over the last 24 hours I have been trying to sign into my account, but the PassCode boxes will not allow me to enter ANY characters! I do not want the app, but am computer savvy. I have tried different browsers, and have never experienced anything like this before, and cannot find anyway I can report this. ( you have ot log in to send a message !!- what a joke) Reviewed on: 30th September 2022

useless card

1
i've been a member/shopped with john lewis for over 35 years. the credit limit on the new card is a joke. actually an insult. i won't be getting a new one. and won't be shopping at JL or waitrose again. Reviewed on: 30th September 2022

Pointless card

1
After problems with the website on registering the new card, it worked in JL and Waitrose but was declined by a previously used online retailer. When I eventually got through to NewDay, I was initially told that it was the merchant refusing to accept the payment, even though the message on the screen whilst waiting for payment to go through was "declined by provider". Then I was told the merchant doesn't accept Mastercard, even though they've been accepting my previous JL card from HSBC which is a Mastercard. I was told to contact the merchant. Then NewDay say that the merchant doesn't have the necessary security in place to accept Mastercard. I've been a JL and Waitrose customer for more years than I care to remember and a card holder for many years without any issues. I've cancelled my NewDay card and cut it up. I'm so disappointed with the attitude of JL over this change and despite an email from them telling me they're sorry and hope I will continue to use them, I can't understand why they don't realise loyalty works both ways. Sorry but NewDay aren't fit for purpose. Reviewed on: 30th September 2022

Declined Partnership Card renewal and inaccessible customer service

1
After years of using the partnership card I was turned down on the pre-screening. I think because I ticked the box to say my income may change. Hours on the phone and can't get it sorted out. I have given up with JLP. What an "own goal". Reviewed on: 30th September 2022

Card declined

1
It seems that I echo the other comments on here. That's ok, M & S card and benefits are most likely better anyway! Bye bye JL card...don't bother trying to get us back... Reviewed on: 29th September 2022

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