Additional Borrowing Capacity

No definition available.

Name:	ecpg_AdditionalBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Number of Subtranches

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ecpg_DebtInstrumentNumberofSubtranches
Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Investment In Unrestricted Subsidiary

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ecpg_InvestmentInUnrestrictedSubsidiary
Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of credit facility maximum borrowing capacity including accordion facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ecpg_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacityIncludingAccordionFacility
Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage to be added to adjusted base rate for alternate base rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ecpg_PercentageToBeAddedToAdjustedBaseRateForAlternateBaseRate
Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage to be added to base rate for alternate base rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ecpg_PercentageToBeAddedToBaseRateForAlternateBaseRate
Namespace Prefix:	ecpg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the frequency of periodic payments (monthly, quarterly, annual).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 470

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFrequencyOfPeriodicPayment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the credit facility terminates, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityExpirationDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including both current and noncurrent portions, carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of other forms of debt not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherLongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)			0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	0 Months Ended			0 Months Ended						0 Months Ended
Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Feb. 07, 2014 Bridge Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 2011 Senior Secured Notes [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] subtranche	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Restated Credit Agreement [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Minimum [Member] LIBOR [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Minimum [Member] Base Rate [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Maximum [Member] LIBOR [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Maximum [Member] Base Rate [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Term Loan One [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Term Loan Subtranche One [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Term loan Subtranche Two [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Base Rate [Member] Term Loan One [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Base Rate [Member] Term Loan One [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Base Rate [Member] Term Loan Subtranche One [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Base Rate [Member] Term Loan Subtranche One [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Base Rate [Member] Term loan Subtranche Two [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] Base Rate [Member] Term loan Subtranche Two [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] LIBOR [Member] Term Loan One [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] LIBOR [Member] Term Loan One [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] LIBOR [Member] Term Loan Subtranche One [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] LIBOR [Member] Term Loan Subtranche One [Member] Maximum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] LIBOR [Member] Term loan Subtranche Two [Member] Minimum [Member]	Aug. 01, 2014 Subsequent event [Member] LIBOR [Member] Term loan Subtranche Two [Member] Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility							$ 692,600,000.0
Term loan facility	149,906,000	140,625,000										87,500,000.0	153,800,000.0	60,000,000.0	6,300,000.0
Additional line of revolving credit facility							250,000,000.0
Maximum borrowing capacity including accordion agreement after amendment						1,100,000,000.0
Debt instrument, term			1 year			5 years						5 years
Line of credit facility expiry date						Feb. 28, 2019								Feb. 25, 2017	Nov. 03, 2017
Debt Instrument, Number of Subtranches					2
Investments in unrestricted subsidiaries					$ 250,000,000
Basis spread on variable rate			6.00%					2.50%	1.50%	3.00%	2.00%					1.50%	2.00%	1.00%	1.50%	1.50%	2.00%	2.50%	3.00%	2.00%	2.50%	2.50%	3.00%
Percentage to be added to base rate for alternate base rate					0.50%
Percentage to be added to adjusted base rate for alternate base rate					1.00%
Debt instrument, frequency of periodic payment				Quarterly