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Discontinued Operations - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
May 16, 2012
Jun. 30, 2012
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]          
Loss on lease termination $ 0us-gaap_LossOnContractTermination $ 3,630,000us-gaap_LossOnContractTermination $ 0us-gaap_LossOnContractTermination    
Loss on discontinued operations 0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax 0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax (1,830,000)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax    
Ascension Capital Group, Inc. [Member]          
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]          
Additional recognition of loss contingency       4,000,000ecpg_MaximumOperatingProfitOfDiscontinuedBusinessToBeCovered
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
 
Earn-out on profitability following sale of discontinued operations       40.00%ecpg_EarnoutonProfitabilityFollowingSaleofDiscontinuedOperations
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
 
Earn-out on profitability following sale of discontinued operations, term       5 years  
Recognized loss contingency         4,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyLossInPeriod
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
Gain (loss) incurred to resolve legacy contractual claims (2,800,000)us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
(2,200,000)us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationOperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
     
Additional loss incurred   700,000ecpg_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationAccruedLossOnContract
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
     
Loss on lease termination 600,000us-gaap_LossOnContractTermination
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member
       
Loss on discontinued operations $ (2,200,000)us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= ecpg_AscensionCapitalGroupInc.Member