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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

The best case of how to damage your brand overnight

JL card holder for 30 years. Taken year off to build house but household income substantial. Been offered £250 limit from £10,000. Can't even buy weekly food shop with that limit. Complained and told my limit would be reviewed. Week later and no review. Unbelievable how absolutely terrible this change has been handled. Amir Goshtai, Director of John Lewis Financial Services should be fired for irreputable damaging JL brand. I'm apoplecticly angry how they can treat loyal customers in this way. Reviewed on: 26th August 2022

Applied with unique card ...declined

Dreadful experience. Git my unique number, entered it, and got declined at first stage. I work full time, earn 50k, always pay balance...Why!! Rang up, 25 minute wait to be told i have to write to Newday?? I am livid. I cant even email!! I have to write a letter to enquire why they declined!! I have now applied for barclaycard which i will never use in john lewis or waitrose ever again. Angry in Cambridge!! Reviewed on: 25th August 2022

Irrational reduction in credit limit

I have applied today for the new JL card. My application was successful but my credit limit has been reduced from £17,000 to £5,000. I have held my JL card for 25 years and have an impeccable credit record and a substantial income. I have lodged a complaint, but if my limit is not restored in full I shall not be using the JL card. This is another case of John Lewis shooting themselves in the foot ( withdrawal of free coffees etc ) Reviewed on: 25th August 2022

the system simply is broken

got approved, yaaaay, triple points yaaay. new card valid for 10 days - literally 10 days, but it wont work people on the call centre (how quaint) have no idea, they want to help but no idea. system doesn't respond, I can't register or get my card to work. if I want to complain I have to write them a letter!!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - bunch of numpties - what a waste of time Reviewed on: 25th August 2022

Long time card holder rejected for the new card

Really odd. Received a letter today telling me my account is closing in November. Check online to reapply, get asked for a 'Unique Reference Number' which I should have received inviting me to apply for the new card (I didn't). Filled out & confirmed some details on the card application: "Sorry, denied". No explanation, no recourse. I feel stuck. This feels like a bizarre PR blip from John Lewis which makes me worried about how robust they are as a financial service provider. So it looks like I'll be terminating my 5-year relationship with John Lewis, finding a new rewards card, and warning people against them. Reviewed on: 25th August 2022

Welcome to the club

I feel a little better today reading these reviews. I have also been rejected for the new card. Partnership card for more than twenty years. Waitrose loyal customer, always pay in full each month. High household income, no debts, no mortgage. I was upset with the rejection but feel better now. Applied for a Halifax which will not charge fees when used in Europe. No problem. I think John Lewis will miss our custom our than we will miss them. Seems they have the same view of over fifties as their CEO. Reviewed on: 25th August 2022

Rejected after 30 years

Like so many other people, applied for the replacement card today, and been rejected. Been a loyal customer of John Lewis, with a good credit record, but apparently not the sort of customer John Lewis wants anymore. Looking around now for a different card, and my loyalty to John Lewis gone. Very strange business model that they are alienating their loyal customers particularly at this time Reviewed on: 25th August 2022

Discrimination

I started to fill in an online application for the new card. The site demanded a mobile number and would not accept my landline number. Clearly John Lewis regards people with no mobile as riffraff beneath their contempt. Reviewed on: 24th August 2022

Rejected for new credit card

Just like the others in here I have been rejected for new credit card after 15 years with Partnership card, a current £13,000 monthly credit limit and a salary in excess of £300k p.a. I have that card because of the points I get for shopping at Waitrose and John Lewis. I spend about £4000 per month using the card. I have clean credit history. Absolutely bizarre and very insulting. Do NOT go with these guys. Reviewed on: 24th August 2022

New Partnership Card Utter Rubbish

Have applied for the new card. Am very long term existing cardholder and customer who spends loads in Waitrose (which I am now seriously thinking of curbing hugely due to the experience of the new card process). The new card has cut my credit limit by just over 80% and won't let me increase it. I have a perfect credit record and have never failed to pay off my monthly balance in all the years I have held the card , despite often going over the newly imposed tiny credit limit. Was told on the phone that as this is a completely new card so my old credit limit is irrelevant , there was nothing they could do about it , and if I didn't like it I would have to raise it as an official complaint , which I have. Have since received my new pin and a separate letter at the same time saying "Welcome to your new card" , which I assumed should have contained the new card. It didn't. Waited a few days hoping it would arrive. Received an email saying I should have received the new card and I need to to activate it. Phoned them again. They said the Welcome letter was sent early to avoid postal strike !!!! Allegedly the new card is on the way. I'll believe it when I see it. Wtf are Waitrose doing ? Are they trying to pee off all their customers just at a time when everything else is also a shambles in the country and they don't need this extra hassle and chaos ? Reviewed on: 24th August 2022

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