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John Lewis: Partnership credit card reviews

Name: Partnership credit card
Rating: 2.05 (900 reviews)

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2.05

Based on 900 reviews, last reviewed 10th Jul 2026

300% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

17% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

87%

Latest highest rating:

5

Problem free credit card Problem free credit card which makes it easy for me to budget my every day expenses without the worry of being saddled with unsustainable debt. Reviewed on: 12th June 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

Random blocks on online usage Random blocks on online transactions including those with large companies like Sainsburys and Boots have meant that we cannot rely on the card. All th... Read more Reviewed on: 10th July 2026

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About this product

With the John Lewis Partnership credit card, you earn points on eligible purchases to get John Lewis and Waitrose gift cards.

You can check your eligibility in minutes without affecting your credit rating. There are also John Lewis Partnership cardholder offers, prize draws and opportunities to boost your points.

John Lewis Partnership credit card reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used John Lewis before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

John Lewis Partnership credit card reviews (900)

Review of the John Lewis, Partnership credit 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

Derisory credit limit

It seems odd that when facing a £100M loss and the fiscal challenges of recession and a cost-of-living crisis, that JLP chooses to alienate its wealthy, loyal customers who manage their credit cards impeccably. I, for one, have had an inexplicable 87% reduction in my credit limit, which is now insufficient to cover even a month of groceries. So I have shifted to spending on my M&S card and Amex (and, I hasten to add, not in JL/Waitrose anymore). Reviewed on: 16th September 2022

Lost it's way

The switching of JLP card from HSBC to Newday seems indicative of the fact the whole John Lewis partnership has lost it's way in recent years. Customer service, once the bedrock of JLP, now takes a back seat to cost cutting. I've even heard staff in store bad mouthing the company and even arguing on the shop floor, in front of customers, suggesting all is far from rosy in the world of JLP. I for one won't be applying for the new credit card and as a consequence will be spending less with John Lewis. Reviewed on: 16th September 2022

new credit card - declined !

Our experience is similar to many here which I find comforting ! turned down for new card as “not eligible” The usual, it seems- previous high credit limit , pay off each month and over seventy and financially secure.. I rang up to try and get an explanation, “You want to register a complaint ?” “No I don’t want to make a complaint.. I just want to try and get explanation” “Can’t do that, sir other than you saying are not eligible.for a card.You would have to make a complaint to find out anymore” “Would you like me to put you through to complaints?” “Well, if it is the only way, yes then” Click … Music plays ….and plays . Speaking to the music ..”Actually, sod you Jl and your stupid card!” I hang up. Reviewed on: 16th September 2022

Won't bother to apply for new John Lewis Partnership card

A few days after getting the letter inviting me to apply for the new Partnership Card I went online and tried to log in to the application site. Could not connect at all. Now, having read all the problems that others have had I will not bother - I can use a different credit card without any difficulties. As a retired academic, on a modest pension, who has always paid off in full every month, I expect I would be rejected anyway. John Lewis is not the store it used to be. Far too much cheap Chinese-made stuff is stocked. I tried to buy one of the Siemens Gigaset cordless phones there recently, because the consumers' magazine Whick? had rated it highly. The staff told me that they no longer sold Gigaset phones. Reviewed on: 16th September 2022

Shocking Customer Experience; Hugely damaging to the John Lewis brand

Whatever lay behind John Lewis’ decision to switch from HSBC to NewDay, is causing untold damage to the brand. All the reviews here plus my own experience of being refused a new card when I am a homeowner, with a good salary and no outstanding balance only suggests that there are other motives at play here and the FCA should be taking a very strong look at both NewDay and John Lewis from a Treating Customers Fairly perspective. As others have commented this impacts customer loyalty and I have already applied for another card from a similar retailer still using HSBC. Reviewed on: 16th September 2022

JOHN LEWIS NEW CREDIT CARD SHAMEFUL DISASTER

I have been a JLF credit card holder for over 40 years and living in close proximity to both a store and Waitrose, have used their card minimally once a week. I have built up a very generous credit limit, allowing me to purchase many expensive items (TV, washing machine, fridge/freezer etc) all in one transaction. I have found their customer service exemplary for decades. Sadly, they have now moved with the times in the totally wrong direction and their loyal customers have become irrelevant and surplus to their requirements. I too received a ‘flyer’ to apply for a new card with NewDay, a simple process that would take a few minutes. It has taken me a whole day, both online and several phone calls to both John Lewis and NewDay to find that my limit wasn’t reduced but my application declined outright. I have to say it was a relief to see that so many loyal customers were in the same predicament and it has ‘nothing to do with John Lewis, it’s totally, completely out of their hands’!!! REALLY JOHN LEWIS?? I too will be taking my custom elsewhere, along with (hopefully) thousands of others. Reviewed on: 16th September 2022

Useless card. Useless service.

For years we’ve used our JLP card without problem and cleared our balance each month. Now JLP have moved their service provider because, presumably, they’ve been offered a better deal. Having to reapply for a card was bad enough but to be offered a derisory limit, less than 10% of our existing, is an insult. It’s time JLP shaped up and took action to look after their customers or this customer will be voting with his feet. What a shame they used to be such a good company! Reviewed on: 15th September 2022

App not working on new credit card

Had no problem with old credit card for 7 years. Have had new card for 7 days. Unreliable, latest problem app not working. Will probably switch to an M and S credit card, if they don’t sort out problems quickly. Reviewed on: 15th September 2022

Useless new partnership card

Despite listing Sainsbury as an approved on line supplier have had to verify every transaction and today had my payment refused. Extremely annoying and will not be using this card any time soon. Total rubbish Reviewed on: 15th September 2022

JLF Do Not Care About Us.

We have had a Partnership Card for many years without defaulting on any payments , Like others we were "invited" to apply for the new one through New Day. It was declined. I contacted JLF and was told that this was happening a lot and to re-apply in a short while. When I tried to do this, it wouldn't let me. I rang what turned out to be New Day and was told that they couldn't understand why I was told to re-apply because once you were declined, that was it. I complained to JLF, received a bog standard reply saying that they understood my concerns and to contact New Day! I spoke to JLF on the phone and they said that it was all out of their control because JLplc had made the decision to go with New Day and it was them that are now making all the decisions and there was nothing that they could do about it. I was told that JLP were ready for a backlash, but were prepared to sacrifice the more mature section of their customers in the hope of attracting younger buyers. Obviously JL do not give a damn about long-term customers so my days of shopping there are over. Absolutely no real empathy for the distress that this ill-thought out decision has caused......basically "it's nothing to do with us"....it's New Day. If you have no control over this card, then take your name off it!! Reviewed on: 15th September 2022

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