Line of Credit Facility, Increase to Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Accordion Provision

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Maximum Loan To Value Ratio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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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

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

- Definition

The average effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

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(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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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

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ 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 FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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

- 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

- Details

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=ecpg_CabotCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=ecpg_CabotCreditAgreementMember
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Debt - Cabot Senior Revolving Credit Facility (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 11, 2015 GBP (£)	Nov. 11, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 20, 2012 GBP (£)	Sep. 20, 2012 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, outstanding amount	$ 529,000		$ 529,000		$ 627,000
Weighted average interest rate (percent)	3.50%	3.12%	3.49%	3.04%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Cabot Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility						£ 200,000,000.0	$ 304,000
Cabot Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, increase to maximum borrowing capacity, accordion provision \| £						£ 50,000,000
Debt instrument, term			6 years
Maximum loan to value ratio			75.00%
Credit facility, outstanding amount	$ 129,251		$ 129,251		$ 54,089
Weighted average interest rate (percent)	4.01%	3.79%	4.01%	3.85%
Cabot Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			3.50%
Cabot Credit Facility [Member] \| Senior Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum loan to value ratio			25.00%
Cabot Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility								£ 50,000,000.0	$ 82,700