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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

Efficient

Whenever I have had a problem I have contacted customer services and had very efficient service, and they have always been able to sort out my problem. Reviewed on: 10th July 2020

Ease of use

Mainly use thie Partnership Card for online shopping. Gives me security and ease of use is a factor. Also like the voucher rewards. Reviewed on: 9th July 2020

Zero stars company

The most incompetent credit card provider ever. Blocked cards, feeble excuses, useless customer service. Probably too overwhelmed by complaints to sort problems out. The only reviews they respond to are "Wonderful John Lewis, best company in the Universe, wouldn't use any other credit card. Just love that green card, matches my shoes a treat, Blah blah blah" Reviewed on: 24th June 2020

Witholding Statements

I was persuaded to go paperless but then discovered that JLPC restrict access to statements older than one year. They require the year and month of a statement older than one year before they will allow you to see it. If you are unsure of the month or year, tough luck. I'm certain that this is a breach of the law. Two requests to be returned to paper statements have been ignored Reviewed on: 12th June 2020

Beware - payment declined message error

Read yesterday that John Lewis credit card was showing 'your payment hasn't gone through, make other arrangements'. Lucky I did as this happened to me just now. Luckily I checked my bank and it shows that the money HAS gone out of my account. Had I not seen this I would have tried another way to pay, and the money would have gone out twice. I settle up in full each month so this would have made me well overdrawn. When I tried to send a secure message to complain the site would not send the message, despite me having signed in!!!!! This is appalling, especially at the moment with the Covid 19 and having money worries anyway. AVOID! Reviewed on: 1st April 2020

Awful Service - not doing John Lewis any favours

Trying to get my home address changed has proved impossible!!! Unless I send proof of my new address by snail mail (emailed versions not acceptable apparently even though I have had to answer six security questions!!) Therefore post is being returned, therefore my on line account is blocked! Every time I try to make a payment I go through the same painful process. I am cancelling the card. Awful awful card provider. Reviewed on: 6th March 2020

Poor application process

I applied for the John Lewis Partnership Card on 4 Feb and I received a confirmation email saying that I will receive a decision within 5 working days. I have received nothing until 25 Feb so I called 03453003830. The customer service Marina did not explain why there was no update. And she requested me to answer all her questions about how much council tax, electricity and water bills I am paying every month on phone. She insisted not to send me an email about all the questions so I have to prepare the figures while holding the call. It took me a while to find out all my bills on the computer and I told her all the figures she needed. She said she will email me about the required documents I have to provide. I spent 30 mins on the phone with her for answering those questions that should be asked during the online application. After the call, I did not receive any emails so I called again. Another lady checked for me that no email was sent to me. I was really upset and I read all the recent negative comments online. I decided to cancel my application. I asked the lady to cancel it for me. She said the application will be automatically cancelled after 30 days of application. Does it mean that if I am not checking about my application, it will be cancelled automatically? Both customer service advisers are not keen to help me to get the application done. John Lewis and Waitrose staffs always provide excellent customer service. I can't accept and believe that the application process of the partnership card is so unprofessional and the staffs are not helpful. I agree with other comments that there is no emails, no online chat, but just a phone number to contact the card centre which wasted time on phone. JUST SAVE YOUR TIME! You can find a better credit card provider & John Lewis's partnership card definitely not the good one. The application process is so poor which I can imagine how troublesome it would be if the card has any issues in the future. Reviewed on: 25th February 2020

By Far the Worst Credit Card Company

Hi, I have terminated the card and after terminating the arrangement there has been a debit made on my account for the £600 odd. This was for a fraudulent transaction on my card a few months ago. Back then John Lewis said I dont have to pay, but the amount showed on my account. Then it soon disappeared . It appeared as a credit on my account and John Lewis customr service couldn't explain what was happening. I was annoyed with their customer service and as a result the credit was posted back to my bank account. Now I think they have realised what happened was incorrect they have taken the money but there has been no communication! I am really appalled and want to complain about the shocking customer service being in financial services. Plus their app is shit and no one ever gets back if you reach them through the app. Call them and if you are lucky someone will speak to you after holding for over 25 mins. Can someone help me in raising a complaint? Update: cancelled card Reviewed on: 17th February 2020

John Lewis partnership card logincard multiple failure

3 failed attempts to log in with replacement card for lost John Lewis partnership credit card. So called customer services and asked to change pin. Did so but still unable to log in so same person asked me to change memorable word too. Did but still no success. So frustrating, so left it for 2 days. Tried again today no success. Called customer services for 2nd time and told, 'ah we haven't deactivated your old lost card, will be okay now'. Tried again but again no success in logging in. Called CS 3rd time and this time advised now need to include symbol alongside capital letter and numeral in password (apparently a new requirement since my old card). Went through change password procedure yet again but still unable to log in. Life's too short. Replacement John Lewis credit card now cut in half and wjll take out a card with a different provider who hopefully knows what they are doing. Reviewed on: 12th February 2020

Zero Help!

Applied for a card, and was sent a link to upload ID etc. Link did not work. No online chat, no email to send communication to. Only a number... So I dialled the number took me 40 minutes to get through to be told the link should work. Well I can assure you it does not. Hold on they said we will put you through to technical. Another 20 minutes later... there is a queue you can hold or call back. No thank you could someone call me back, no sorry you have to call or use the link. I cannot use the link..... Gave up. Useless service. Reviewed on: 7th February 2020

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