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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

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

Apparent security issue with card

Jlp called me and left msg for to call back. I called back - on number they left - they were unable to tell me what the issue is although they claimed it’s being address (by a different dept/group). One week later and several frustrating further calls to them, they are still unable to tell me what the problem is and nobody has called me. They can’t telll me how long it will take because the customer service group cannot speak directly with the security group and they cannot connect me with the security group/dept. Amateur !! Reviewed on: 11th April 2019

What a shambles!

My card was declined online 2 days ago. I called the #JohnLewisFinance helpline immediately to be told it was with the Security team as there is a security issue on the card. Neither the helpline nor I however, were able to speak to that team directly. "They have a list they are working through and they will call me". Of course they haven't yet called and when I tried again to speak to the security team I was told the same..."computer says no". So I am now 3 days without a card, and more importantly understanding exactly what that 'security' risk is! it's now Friday so it will be another 2 days before I have any hope of being contacted, and I am doubtful of that. As soon as I understand what the security risk is I will be cancelling my account. What a shambles! Reviewed on: 22nd March 2019

Terrible customer service & when blocked for no reason seems impossible to get unblocked!

I applied for a partnership card as I make a lot of large purchases & was keen to get the points. Firstly it has taken months (I am still waiting) for the direct debit function to be set up despite applying for this as soon as I received the card. Then after calling for help after having trouble using the card to book flights my card was blocked. Four phone calls later to have it unblocked I am still waiting for someone from the 'relevant department' to call me back. Customer service when I call has been terrible. There appears to be no way to put me through to the 'relevant department' & I can not be given a time or even a day when I can expect the call. As I am in & out of meetings I cannot always answer my phone & in thirty years of banking this is the first time i'v had to wait for a bank to call me back! Reviewed on: 6th March 2019

Worst card ever

Card declined for no reason on numerous occasions They never reply to secure messages Reviewed on: 20th February 2019

Great products

Fast delivery,great products,profesional help Reviewed on: 20th November 2018

great bonus by earning vouchers

not had any problems with them and it's always nice to earn rewards - the vouchers come in handy! Reviewed on: 9th November 2018

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