Write a review

Go to business site

John Lewis: Partnership Card reviews

Name: Partnership Card
Rating: 1.31 (890 reviews)

View other John Lewis products

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

Read all reviews See your review

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 (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

No replacement credit card.

On top of all the other experiences detailed on your website, which I've also experienced, my card expired this month and I have received no replacement. Last night my card was declined on Amazon so I guess that's it. Can't contact them so have had to resort to shaming them on FB which may be achieving results. Reviewed on: 6th November 2016

Statement asks me to pay last month's paid bill AGAIN on top of new transactions!!!

Last month I paid my credit card bill in full. So this month's statement shows the previous balance (420.71) and shows the payment received (420.71). Ok so far. Then it gives the new balance, which should be the total of new transactions (405.71) - but it says 826.42!!!!! Then I realised that 826.42 is this month's transactions of 405.71 PLUS last months already paid 420.71. WHAT?!?! I can understand occasional computer glitches but surely they can at least check they have put the right formula in the right box! Needless to say, I haven't been able to get through on the phone and can't message them, so I had to resort to pen & paper.... If I haven't heard anything by the payment date I'll just pay what I know I owe, but they had better not charge me interest on the "remaining" amount that I DON'T OWE...!! Reviewed on: 6th November 2016

Update - a standard letter not worth its postage

Having complained by letter to JLP card on 19 Oct about having a payment rejected and late payment fee and interest imposed, I have finally had a response today. I had very low expectations indeed, so I was not unduly disappointed to get a standard letter with my surname misspelled saying that my "comments are extremely valuable" and that I could expect to hear the results of their investigation "within the next eight weeks". So it's scarcely worth bothering to write to Customer Complaints, the "secure message" system is still down (deliberately, to avoid the deluge of angry complaints?) and those patient enough to endure the long wait get what many here describe as an arrogant brush-off from the telephone call handlers. Bravo, John Lewis! It's hard to imagine how you could have done worse. Reviewed on: 3rd November 2016

Astounding Arrogance

I naïvely thought that I’d been unaffected by the recent John Lewis Partnership credit card debacle until I tried to log on last night to download my month’s transactions. Of course, my logon was rejected. Yes, I received the email about changes but I don’t have enough years left in my life to read the ins and outs of all the routine correspondence that financial service companies love to bombard us with. The arrogance of JLP is astounding. THEY change THEIR systems and want ME to spend MY precious time re-entering data because they can’t be bothered, or don’t have the technical ability, to migrate my existing data. Like most people I have dozens and dozens and dozens of online accounts, of all sorts, ranging from banking to social media; if they all took the approach of JLP, I’d be re-registering from here to eternity! If JLP want me to do their work for them, they should try INCENTIVE NOT DIKTAT! I called JLP customer services and got the same reaction that countless others have reported. The final exchange was — Me: “I will cease using the card until you migrate my data” — JLP representative: “I can tell you that is not going to happen.” Well, John Lewis, let ME tell YOU that I can do without your card, your stores and your over-priced supermarkets – oh – and your arrogance too. Reviewed on: 3rd November 2016

The current Partnership card problems are the worst case of poor customer service I have ever experienced.

I have long used contactless cards for my main bank account, and read that the JLP card was going to be available contactless, (at last!!), so applied for it over 2 weeks ago. The next day I then found that a payment to retailer was declined with my old card. I rang Partnership Card Services was in a Q for over 40 mins, to be told it must be the retailer with a faulty machine, my old card had not been cancelled. Wy wife then went and used the card at Waitrose, it was declined. I rang, the Q was nearly an hour, I was told that yes, the old card had been deactivated as I had ordered a new card! No-one had pre-warned me of this, and I'ver never heard of it before, what are customers supposed to do while they wait for their new card? A few days ago I tried to ring again and gave up after 2 1/4 hours on hold. It is now 18 days since my new card application, I still have no new card and am again trying to get through to the "Support" number to listen to the ever repeating "Unfortunately all our advisors are dealing with other customers....etc" What an an amateurish shambles. Reviewed on: 1st November 2016

MELTDOWN at contact centre Oct2016 - SHAMBOLIC

October 2016 into November: John Lewis Partnership Card (operated by HSBC for John Lewis Financial Services Limited) was a nightmare. Spent well over 3 hours in total, trying to get through to contact centre, no answer. One call over was over 1 hour's wait. No answer. They don't have a system for informing you of your place in the queue. Amateurish. Eventually got through by calling at 03.30AM! Said how much time and money lost trying to get through. No apology. Explained I needed to raise my Credit Limit for 30 days, they asked me to call back, and ask for underwriters, meaning waiting all over again. Some overpaid John Lewis Finance executive(s) decided to change their website and statement layout and get customers to re-apply for their online account, triggering tsunami of calls, putting contact centre into meltdown. Unacceptable. Amateurish. Go to another provider. Reviewed on: 1st November 2016

Terrible service and would not let me report a fraud

I couldn't report fraud on my credit card. John Lewis does not answer the phone or respond to online messages. The old website was terrible and the new one is worse. AVOID JOHN LEWIS Reviewed on: 31st October 2016

GOOD NEWS. FOLKS

I've found a partnership card telephone number that answers within 10 minutes - 03456080764. JL texted me to tell me my account was overdue and asked me to call- I was well aware of late payment on my part having spent hours on the phone and on their new website trying to sort things out. I was told the late payment charge and interest totalling £27 would be refunded as a gesture of goodwill. My own goodwill towards them is gone. I was told the new site is still rejecting some payments and of course mine was one of those. Reviewed on: 31st October 2016

Appalling service from John Lewis partnership card

Have been a loyal and supportive customer of partnership card for many years and frequently extol the advantages to friends and family. Whenever, I have had a query, a phone call to partnership card is quick, the service first class and the query answered. My recent experience with a simple query has been a nightmare. It is impossible to get through on the telephone and the " send a secure message" function on their website is not working. On the site a strap line reads "new site, same service" Well I can assure them that this is not true. How could John Lewis, noted for the quality of its customer services, have allowed this to happen. I am afraid the loss of goodwill will have serious consequences for a store I have held in very high regard. Reviewed on: 31st October 2016

BRAND IMAGE RUINED

Whoever is the senior manager in charge of the partnership card at John Lewis should tender their resignation. This revamp the partnership card is a total mess and was determined without any strategic overview or thorough testing by individuals in the management chain before it went live. Poorly designed webpage for statements with missing information regarding points; paper statement not received 12 days after being available on line. Contact centre overwhelmed and unable to answer calls in less than 45 mins; secure message section of website not working and no other way of making contact with the service centre. If it wasn't for the fact that I like JLP for purchases, and the loyalty points are worth having, I would cancel my card. Reviewed on: 31st October 2016

Do you have a different John Lewis product?

Share your experiences with products to help others make smarter financial decisions and learn more about different products available. Write a review

Are you a business? Get insights, reply to reviews, invite customers and understand their needs

Alternative products

American Express Credit Card
from American Express 3.12 from 103 reviews
Bip Credit Card
from NewDay 4.91 from 2284 reviews
Freedom Rewards Credit Card
from Barclaycard 3.90 from 61 reviews

Want to see more from John Lewis?

Travel Insurance
from John Lewis 4.75 from 3 reviews
Breakdown Insurance
from John Lewis 4.00 from 1 reviews
Home insurance
from John Lewis 2.05 from 77 reviews

View all products

Join Smart Money People

Keep up to date on ratings of your favourite businesses. Find out about our awards and write new reviews with ease

Create an account

News, guides and insight from our team

View resource hub