Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	$ 180,997	$ 1,011,331	$ 232,510
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	100,665	106,208	109,538
Receivables, net	77,750	162,775	104,764
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	85,204	65,725	73,555
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage	0	0	183,107
Total current assets	444,616	1,346,039	703,474
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $728,811, $647,689 and $678,161	262,226	263,827	293,060
Intangible assets, net	406,440	409,364	433,135
Goodwill	493,059	491,207	477,360	$ 470,757
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	9,205	83,728	81,755
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0	0
Other assets	101,015	99,943	93,394
Total assets	1,716,561	2,694,108	2,082,178
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	114,875	217,028	139,808
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	42,897	183,856	40,754
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	43,879	348,199	68,832
Current portion of long-term debt	1,004	981	903
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	190,522	189,216	184,560
Total current liabilities	393,177	939,280	434,857
Long-term debt	1,493,828	1,493,017	1,967,206
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	138,024	159,085	117,553
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	104,305	163,609	120,033
Total liabilities	2,129,334	2,754,991	2,639,649
Stockholders’ equity	(412,773)	(60,883)	(557,471)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,716,561	2,694,108	2,082,178
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	7,463	5,587	1,947
Investments in subsidiaries	1,890,500	2,158,234	1,460,925
Amounts due from affiliates		0	0
Total assets	1,897,963	2,163,821	1,462,872
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2,407	2,086	8,941
Total current liabilities	2,407	2,086	8,941
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	18,293	28,324	5,917
Amounts due to affiliates	2,290,036	2,194,294	2,005,485
Total liabilities	2,310,736	2,224,704	2,020,343
Stockholders’ equity	(412,773)	(60,883)	(557,471)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,897,963	2,163,821	1,462,872
Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	176,676	1,006,845	230,545
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	92,582	98,148	80,524
Receivables, net	23,744	101,525	31,089
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	80,999	63,445	65,318
Total current assets	374,001	1,269,963	407,476
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $728,811, $647,689 and $678,161	262,170	263,749	292,968
Intangible assets, net	406,440	409,364	433,135
Goodwill	493,059	491,207	477,360
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable		47,398	17,086
Investments in subsidiaries	91,515	113,714	81,868
Amounts due from affiliates	2,290,036	2,194,294	2,005,485
Other assets	38,969	48,114	34,758
Total assets	3,956,190	4,837,803	3,750,136
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	103,134	200,724	122,433
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	41,465	183,005	38,611
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	43,879	348,199	68,832
Current portion of long-term debt	1,004	981	903
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	164,545	162,457	136,384
Total current liabilities	354,027	895,366	367,163
Long-term debt	5,121	5,628	6,121
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	135,405	122,724	100,850
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	103,395	162,656	118,926
Amounts due to affiliates	1,467,742	1,493,195	1,696,151
Total liabilities	2,065,690	2,679,569	2,289,211
Stockholders’ equity	1,890,500	2,158,234	1,460,925
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,956,190	4,837,803	3,750,136
Block Financial (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	4,321	4,486	1,965
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	8,083	8,060	29,014
Receivables, net	54,006	61,250	73,675
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	4,205	2,280	8,237
Loans Receivable Held-for-sale, Net, Not Part of Disposal Group, Mortgage			183,107
Total current assets	70,615	76,076	295,998
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $728,811, $647,689 and $678,161	56	78	92
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	25,453	30,743	62,722
Amounts due from affiliates	1,467,742	1,493,195	1,696,151
Other assets	62,046	51,829	58,636
Total assets	1,625,912	1,651,921	2,113,599
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	9,334	14,218	8,434
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	1,432	851	2,143
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	25,977	26,759	48,176
Total current liabilities	36,743	41,828	58,753
Long-term debt	1,488,707	1,487,389	1,961,085
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	8,037	8,037	10,786
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	910	953	1,107
Total liabilities	1,534,397	1,538,207	2,031,731
Stockholders’ equity	91,515	113,714	81,868
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,625,912	1,651,921	2,113,599
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	(23,711)
Investments in subsidiaries	(1,982,015)	(2,271,948)	(1,542,793)
Amounts due from affiliates	(3,757,778)	(3,687,489)	(3,701,636)
Other assets	0
Total assets	(5,763,504)	(5,959,437)	(5,244,429)
Reserves for uncertain tax positions	(23,711)
Amounts due to affiliates	(3,757,778)	(3,687,489)	(3,701,636)
Total liabilities	(3,781,489)	(3,687,489)	(3,701,636)
Stockholders’ equity	(1,982,015)	(2,271,948)	(1,542,793)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (5,763,504)	$ (5,959,437)	$ (5,244,429)