Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2017	Jan. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	$ 187,366	$ 1,011,331	$ 221,172
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	83,033	106,208	70,166
Receivables, net	791,618	162,775	787,865
Income taxes receivable	72,775		38,032
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	149,349	65,725	85,599
Total current assets	1,284,141	1,346,039	1,202,834
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $757,809, $673,594 and $678,161	249,911	263,827	282,358
Intangible assets, net	390,993	409,364	434,720
Goodwill	504,789	491,207	483,320	$ 470,757
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	25,305	83,728	71,639
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0	0
Other assets	106,161	99,943	102,760
Total assets	2,561,300	2,694,108	2,577,631
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	163,653	217,028	239,085
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	135,626	183,856	123,457
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	164,246	348,199	7,537
Current portion of long-term debt	1,015	981	942
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	201,988	189,216	183,616
Total current liabilities	666,528	939,280	554,637
Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings	2,284,231	1,493,017	2,592,622
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	201,384	159,085	109,557
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	107,226	163,609	121,631
Total liabilities	3,259,369	2,754,991	3,378,447
Stockholders’ equity	(698,069)	(60,883)	(800,816)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,561,300	2,694,108	2,577,631
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investments in subsidiaries	(1,722,850)	(2,271,948)	(1,451,284)
Amounts due from affiliates	(4,246,021)	(3,687,489)	(4,335,493)
Other assets	0
Total assets	(5,968,871)	(5,959,437)	(5,786,777)
Amounts due to affiliates	(4,246,021)	(3,687,489)	(4,335,493)
Total liabilities	(4,246,021)	(3,687,489)	(4,335,493)
Stockholders’ equity	(1,722,850)	(2,271,948)	(1,451,284)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(5,968,871)	(5,959,437)	(5,786,777)
Block Financial (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	4,475	4,486	4,272
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted		8,060	8,052
Receivables, net	396,046	61,250	422,034
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,908	2,280	3,217
Total current assets	403,429	76,076	437,575
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $757,809, $673,594 and $678,161	814	78	81
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	20,427	30,743	54,777
Amounts due from affiliates	1,910,351	1,493,195	2,168,620
Other assets	66,497	51,829	67,619
Total assets	2,401,518	1,651,921	2,728,672
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	15,514	14,218	15,051
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	954	851	461
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	29,052	26,759	33,872
Total current liabilities	45,520	41,828	49,384
Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings	2,279,368	1,487,389	2,586,744
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	8,037	8,037	10,786
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	903	953	1,059
Total liabilities	2,333,828	1,538,207	2,647,973
Stockholders’ equity	67,690	113,714	80,699
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,401,518	1,651,921	2,728,672
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income taxes receivable	3,250
Total current assets	3,250
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable		5,587	3,330
Investments in subsidiaries	1,655,160	2,158,234	1,370,585
Amounts due from affiliates		0	0
Total assets	1,658,410	2,163,821	1,373,915
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2,516	2,086	1,941
Total current liabilities	2,516	2,086	1,941
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	18,293	28,324	5,917
Amounts due to affiliates	2,335,670	2,194,294	2,166,873
Total liabilities	2,356,479	2,224,704	2,174,731
Stockholders’ equity	(698,069)	(60,883)	(800,816)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,658,410	2,163,821	1,373,915
Other Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	182,891	1,006,845	216,900
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	83,033	98,148	62,114
Receivables, net	395,572	101,525	365,831
Income taxes receivable	69,525		38,032
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	146,441	63,445	82,382
Total current assets	877,462	1,269,963	765,259
Property and equipment, at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization of $757,809, $673,594 and $678,161	249,097	263,749	282,277
Intangible assets, net	390,993	409,364	434,720
Goodwill	504,789	491,207	483,320
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	4,878	47,398	13,532
Investments in subsidiaries	67,690	113,714	80,699
Amounts due from affiliates	2,335,670	2,194,294	2,166,873
Other assets	39,664	48,114	35,141
Total assets	4,470,243	4,837,803	4,261,821
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	145,623	200,724	222,093
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	134,672	183,005	122,996
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	164,246	348,199	7,537
Current portion of long-term debt	1,015	981	942
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	172,936	162,457	149,744
Total current liabilities	618,492	895,366	503,312
Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings	4,863	5,628	5,878
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	175,054	122,724	92,854
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	106,323	162,656	120,572
Amounts due to affiliates	1,910,351	1,493,195	2,168,620
Total liabilities	2,815,083	2,679,569	2,891,236
Stockholders’ equity	1,655,160	2,158,234	1,370,585
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 4,470,243	$ 4,837,803	$ 4,261,821