Paid advertisement
Smart Money People Logo

John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

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
See only 5 star reviews
5%
See only 4 star reviews
1%
See only 3 star reviews
2%
See only 2 star reviews
4%
See only 1 star reviews
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
Mary A's avatar
Mary A

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
Bonbon's avatar
Bonbon

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 (894)

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

Misleading information

1
"The password for your Partnership Card online account has been successfully reset. If you didn’t make this change then please call us on 0345 300 3833, (our lines are open from 7am - 11pm). Calls may be monitored and/or recorded." taken from the email sent to me. This email was sent by an automated system, so please don’t reply to it.' the phone number listed is not open from 7am. The first thing the automated message says is: "We are currently experiencing high call volumes" Really? at 7.30 am on a Sunday morning? Pull the other one John Lewis and then the call is cut off. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2021

Avoid

1
Terrible app, truly one of the worst. Changing payment dates, statements totals don't equal sum of listed items. Reviewed on: 14th September 2021

Unbelievably Poor Service

1
I never receive a OneTimePassCode from them. My other bank accounts, Amazon etc no problem. I have made numerous complaints. and had a whole variety of excuses. "It must be your phone" no its not I get OTPs from everyone else! "We're not aware of anyone else having this problem" yes you are, other staff have admitted as much! "Its a Mastercard problem - ring them" they know or should know that Mastercard only talk to banks, not members of the public! I have been assured by a member of their fraud team that the problem would not continue if I use my desktop computer. That turned out to be false as well I currently have an escalated complaint with them and will see what happens. If the issue is not resolved I will close the account and take my business elsewhere. Life is too short. With service like this it is no wonder John Lewis is in trouble. Reviewed on: 13th September 2021

Unhelpful

2
Recently scammed by the CBD gummy scam.what I thought was costing me £69 cost me £217. Partnership card were aware of this scam and although I reported it within an hour they felt it unlikely I would get money back. I blocked my card in case of further scams but wanted to check transactions . After 4 phone calls still unable to access account. Have switched to American Express-what a difference! Reviewed on: 21st August 2021

Admitted they mislead me

1
Been a loyal and faithful customer for over 15 years. After taking a payment break which they advised me to do after I lost my job. When I made the first payment after the break and having secured a new role they advised me all was ok with the account but still sent a default notice which effected my credit card account. I took them to the FCA where they admitted their mistake but couldn’t reverse the notice. I won damages but it does not make up for the stress and now damage to my credit rating. Avoid this company and taking this card. Reviewed on: 16th July 2021

Terrible Service

1
Had terrible problems getting this card working- several wasted trips to the shop and several calls being left on hold for 15/20 minutes at a time. Avoid Reviewed on: 14th July 2021

Change of points to receive vouchers

1
Well John Lewis you have lost me as a partnership card customer since changing your point system less than half what I used to get instead of trying rip off your loyal credit card customers why don't you cut your 25% discount what you give John Lewis staff on top of any other discounts. Reviewed on: 6th July 2021

No vouchers ever sent

1
Since having card the points build up quickly and disappear off statements, however never seen any of these promised vouchers. Reviewed on: 5th July 2021

Extremely poor customer service

1
Trying to deal with a disputed purchase has made me lose the will to live. The online form is hopeless and when I sent in a complaint I received a pleasant telephone call but nothing changed. What a waste of time when we are told that if we purchase something with a credit card we will have extra insurance if something goes wrong. Also where do you find an address to complain about anything! Just give it a try. Reviewed on: 14th June 2021

Hair tearing frustration

1
I have been a mostly satisfied John Lewis shopper for most of my life. However the Partnership Card which serves me well when using it. Badly let’s me down when I need to access my card account. In fact never, have I ever succeeded in being able to do this. Locked, locked & locked again! Phone call after call. Zero result. Utterly timewasting & frustrating. Having recently been defrauded online I was really anxious to see my transactions. The stress has been great, in fact it very nearly bought me to tears. The site is appalling BAD. JL needs to remedy this ASAP! Reviewed on: 21st May 2021
Are you a business? Get insights, reply to reviews, invite customers and understand their needs