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John Lewis: Partnership Card 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
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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
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Bonbon
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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.

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
genius's avatar
genius

great rewards on this card

5
We love putting our spending on this credit card because we pay it off each month and benefit from the points which get converted to john lewis vouchers which i then use at waitrose for my groceries. It's almost like getting cash back. Service has always been pretty good. Once struggled to get through on phone but once you speak to them they are helpful. Reviewed on: 19th June 2017
Rebecca Beesley's avatar
Rebecca Beesley

No Apple Pay

3
It is so disappointing that Apple Pay is still not available. Reviewed on: 9th June 2017
Susan Turner's avatar
Susan Turner

Always simple and rewards

5
I rarely have a problem but when I did they sorted it out quickly, said sorry and gave a good will gesture. The card comes with 0.5% cashback in the form of vouchers (or 1% if card used at John Lewis) Reviewed on: 9th June 2017
John Breuer's avatar
John Breuer

Customer service slow to respond

2
Good points system, but customer service very slow to respond via telephone or website. Good service if you have the time to go into their store. Reviewed on: 8th June 2017
Zoe De Cesare's avatar
Zoe De Cesare

awful company, shocking

1
absolutely no support at all for your purchases Reviewed on: 25th May 2017
d mclaird's avatar
d mclaird

Mixed bag

3
Customer service - especially on the phone - is good. Website is awful however and making payments is a chore Reviewed on: 2nd May 2017
Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous

great rewards on this card

4
we love how quickly the reward vouchers add up - and because they are john lewis vouchers you get - i can use them for my grocery shopping at waitrose which is great and practical. Other credit card rewards had become so bad that this really is a good option. Reviewed on: 30th April 2017
Rebecca Beesley's avatar
Rebecca Beesley

Rubbish Travel Money site does not work

1
Trying to purchase foreign currency which the flyer in my statement said would be fee free if I used my Partnership card - It was NOT! Tried switching to a debit card and after trying to execute the order I could only see a strange diagram with no explanation. called them on the number shown on the flyer, but was told I was calling the wrong number, I was connected to the right number, but it rang out for so long, and the judging by the background noise and unclear speech from the previous call staff, I decided to hang up and purchase the currency elsewhere. Reviewed on: 13th April 2017
Michael Cooke's avatar
Michael Cooke

So rewarding...

5
I use my John Lewis Partnership card for all big spends and major purchases. Rewards in the form of John Lewis vouchers posted to me. Pay off in full each month so no interest. #MaxYourMoney Reviewed on: 31st March 2017
Charlotte Easton's avatar
Charlotte Easton

Money off vouchers to spend in a Group that does not perform well? - hardly worth it!

1
John Lewis Partnership Card goes from bad to worse. Having admitted their errors and awarded extra Points as compensation they cannot even get that right and do not actually produce the points they claim to have awarded. On top of that they issue an arrears notice when the account is and has been for some time in credit - they owe their customer money but still their system churns out an arrears notice - how can you miss making minimum payments to your account when your account with them is in credit?! Be aware of detrimental affect on your credit score if you choose to do business with this Group. Much better off with a 4.3 scoring company that can provide a cash reward back onto your account with them with the effect that you are free to spend awards earned wherever you like. Reviewed on: 21st March 2017
Philip Neill's avatar
Philip Neill

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