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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.86 (894 reviews)

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1.86

Based on 894 reviews, last reviewed 30th Apr 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

700% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

88%

Latest highest rating:

4

High interest although you gain points using your cr... High interest although you gain points using your credit card whilst shopping in John Lewis Reviewed on: 17th April 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

Zero TRUST, and HONESTY Customer service is shocking. A distinct lack of ANY rewards for points earned. You call to say you have recieved zero vouchers depite clocking up ove... Read more Reviewed on: 30th April 2026

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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 (894)

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

JL Partnership Card

Recently invited to apply for a new JL Partnership card, run by NewDay. I can only assume that New Day do not want customers who settle their debt promptly each month. A look at other recent reviews here shows many other JL customers in exactly the same position….financially secure, loyal JL and Waitrose customers….either being declined outright or offered ridiculously low limits that simply do not reflect their true financial position. I am now more financially secure and able than ever. What are you doing JL? Why would you chose to partner with a credit card provider that simply does not reflect your customer base? New Day have a core mission to help people with low or poor credit scores to improve their borrowing record. Just look at their website and marketing videos on You Tube… You’ve got this one badly wrong! Reviewed on: 28th August 2022

No customer loyalty after 37 years!

Received notification that my current partnership card will expire in October and I should apply for a new one with New Day. My current credit limit is £7,800. Despite being a loyal customer for 37 years, spending thousands with John Lewis during that time, and never defaulting on payments, New Day have offered me a £250 limit. Seriously? What an absolute joke! The loyalty reward scheme has gone right down the pan too. Used to offer free cup of tea and cake vouchers to spend in store, but now you get a free entry into several competitions. Big Deal! How does that constitute a `reward`? Anyone can enter a free competition. It`s only a reward for the person who wins, not for the entrant. What a con! I haven`t had any reward worth claiming for at least 2 years. As another customer said `I won`t be taking the new card` and for me also, it`s a very sad end to what has been a long happy shopping experience over the years. They will certainly lose a great deal of future purchases from me, and I suspect from many other loyal customers too. Doesn`t make good business sense. I see this as the final nail in the John Lewis coffin. This company once prided itself on giving the ultimate customer experience, now like so many others nowadays, they just don`t care anymore! Reviewed on: 27th August 2022

Refused new Partnership Card

Having entered my information to transfer the Partnership Card to New Day I was refused without explanation despite a long history of full payments on time. The "help" from John Lewis was to advise that I should write to New Day. I have a better idea when faced with customer service like this which is to move my £2000 per month spend to another of my cards and stop buying at Waitrose/John Lewis. A shame as I liked their ethics. Reviewed on: 27th August 2022

This will mean a hit on your credit score

If you apply for the 'new' card JL will mean a 'hit' on your credit score even if you are turned down. If your credit score is important to you, do think twice. I won't be bothering. Reviewed on: 27th August 2022

Terrible

Received a letter from John Lewis partnership card asking me to apply for a new card. I went through the eligibility steps and my application was declined! I've had a partnership card for over 15yrs and have no debts. I phoned the number on the website, I waited in a queue for 15 minutes only to be told there was nothing they could do and that I should appeal in writing. Terrible service. Reviewed on: 27th August 2022

I will not be applying to the NewDay credit card.JL has lost the plot and do not deserve loyalty.

I have been a loyal customer for over 45 years and now will avoid JL . They have not taken into consideration their older loyal customers and will deserve the fallout of their disastrous decision to change their financial credit card. Reviewed on: 26th August 2022

Declined new card

Despite originally having held a John Lewis store card for Caleys Windsor which was then transferred to a Partnership Card in 2004 and never having missed any payments, I have been declined a new card by New Day when the current one ends in October. Clearly loyalty means nothing any longer. Obviously as a retired person they don’t need my custom. Reviewed on: 26th August 2022

John Lewis kills customer loyalty in one stroke - its Ratner Moment

After 30 loyal years with the Partnership Card (having started with a Peter Jones one) I am now told my custom is no longer wanted. Declined for the NewDay card, likely due to my retired status - despite substantial pension income - and the habit of paying in full each month. No interest income for them then, so they are not interested. So no longer will I buy a significant weekly shop from Waitrose or order from John Lewis. Reviewed on: 26th August 2022

Closure of Partnership card - more than disappointing

I've had a JL Partnership card for many years. I use it to pay for everything, from day to day food shopping to holidays and big-ticket items like furnishings. I clear the balance in full every month. JL are now taking this away and requiring me to apply from scratch for an inferior card (fewer credit free days) at a time when I will be unable to secure anything like the credit limit I previously had, despite being comfortably able to pay. It seems from other reviews here that I am not alone in this - I'll bet there are thousands of JL customers who are recently retired, or taking a break or switched to self-employment who are perfectly able to manage their credit limits but will be refused the new card, or given a derisory credit limit. This is an unexpected and unfair situation. On the basis of the number of people being refused, I'm not going to waste my credit search on NewDay. Reviewed on: 26th August 2022

How to annoy customers

Got approved for new card, told I could use the account immediately, tried to order usual weekly shop, night before delivery, told declined - payment refused. Called phone number provided and got the order re-instated using old card. Trying to decide whether just use another card for Waitrose shop or tell John Lewis to get lost. Reviewed on: 26th August 2022

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