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John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.31 (890 reviews)

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1.31

Based on 890 reviews, last reviewed 27th Mar 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

20% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

88%

Latest highest rating:

4

The JLP card offers cashback based upon spending and... The JLP card offers cashback based upon spending and it is possible to generate £100+ cashback per year. Managing the account is straightforward via t... Read more Reviewed on: 22nd January 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

I used my card to pay for petrol at my local Sainsbu... I used my card to pay for petrol at my local Sainsbury's. Later that day I received a message saying there was a suspicion of fraud. A simple glance a... Read more Reviewed on: 27th March 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 (890)

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

Very disappointing - tarnishing John Lewis brand

On line service service for payments works fine but telephone help is inept. Operator takes one through the whole range of questions, resets and retries to no avail and finally asks if I could call back when it's less busy. Reviewed on: 11th October 2019

disappointed and saddened

tried to access my account but had to re register which I did tried next day using new passwords etc and was blocked as put wrong details in 3 times rang them as instructed waited 47 minutes and was helped to reset them ok good next day same thing happened so rang again waited 49 minutes and said I wanted to cancel my account as I was disgusted with all of it was told by agent that I was not the only one complaining so I cancelled my account and was told to ring back in 10 days to see if balance had been cleared told them I would not ring and wait over 40 minutes to be told yes your account ic cleared still waiting for the letter they said would be in the post checked with bank they had the money the next day they also screwed up my car insurance sold it off to someone else did not tell me so John Lewis been with you for years not any more cannot and will not trust you again Reviewed on: 4th October 2019

Charges fees incorrectly - BEWARE!

I've had several problems with this card and wrong charges. They've just charged me £12 for an unpaid direct debit when I've never had a direct debit for that card!! I had several issues a few months ago and was again charged incorrectly for a mistake of theirs. Surely this is illegal? We should all report them to the Financial Conduct Authority - they seem incompetent. Reviewed on: 12th August 2019

Rewards for spending

Love this card , and excellent rewards when spending on my card. Any problems I’ve had have always been resolved promptly and with great customer service. Reviewed on: 22nd July 2019

Unreliable and untrustworthy

John Lewis has failed to meet its own standards of customer service. I called to set up a direct debit 7 days ago and was informed that someone would call me back within 2 days. Still no call from John Lewis who have suspended my account without letting me know. John Lewis informed me today that they are unable to accept payment either by phone or bank transfer. This is illegal and contrary to financial services legislation because my John Lewis credit card account charges interest on an unpaid balance. Why lie about such a simple point? Reviewed on: 19th July 2019

Brilliant card

I have a partnership credit card with them and it’s so user friendly. It has a great app that’s protected and an average interest rate. Most importantly though when you spend money on your credit card you get John Lewis vouchers through the post that is that extra special touch to make them stand out above anyone else. Reviewed on: 7th June 2019

Utterly awful

Received a text at 2:30am and a second text at 3:00am advising of a possible fraudulent payment. Called customer services they advised that the payment had been stopped. Called back customer services later that morning and was advised that as it wasn't fraudulent I should represent my card for payment. I did that and payment for nearly £1,600 was accepted. What customer services hadn't told me is that the retailer could represent my details for payment without my consent. The retailer did exactly that and the payment was accepted again, plus 2 lots of foreign currency charges. The customer services department and the disputes team advised that I would not have to pay the disputed amount, but now 6 weeks later it is on my statement. They have done nothing to help. I have made 8 phone calls, spoken with a manager and was told that a member of the disputes team would call me. They haven't called. Next stop the ombudsman. Terrible service, no customer service. Disgusted with them Reviewed on: 4th June 2019

Good customer service and loyalty scheme

Always easy to get through to customer service. Good loyalty scheme including points events to earn JL/Waitrose vouchers Reviewed on: 11th May 2019

I wish they would take the direct debit they say they are going to take

A decent enough credit card with useful cashback - BUT they do not always take the direct debit amount they say they are going to take (which is supposed to be the full outstanding balance every month). If I make a manual payment to the card during the month (e.g. if I am approaching the credit limit), they deduct this payment from the amount they have already said they will take by direct debit - which means that I generally have to make ANOTHER manual payment in order to cover the difference, and have enough leeway for the forthcoming month. It is very annoying! Reviewed on: 15th April 2019

Good rewards

The Partnership Card gives me rewards for using it in the form of vouchers that I can spend in John Lewis or Waitrose. Fantastic! Reviewed on: 15th April 2019

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