Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	$ 600,799	$ 1,544,944	$ 180,997
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	122,507	118,734	100,665
Receivables, short-term	61,286	146,774	77,750
Income taxes receivable	18,745	12,310
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	87,665	68,951	85,204
Total current assets	891,002	1,891,713	444,616
Property and equipment, net	241,772	231,888	262,226
Intangible assets, net	364,524	373,981	406,440
Goodwill	507,191	507,871	493,059	$ 491,207
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	130,987	34,095	9,205
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0	0
Other noncurrent assets	97,820	101,401	101,015
Total assets	2,233,296	3,140,949	1,716,561
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	114,393	251,975	114,875
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	43,396	141,499	42,897
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	94,257	263,050	43,879
Current portion of long-term debt		1,026	1,004
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	183,675	186,101	190,522
Total current liabilities	435,721	843,651	393,177
Long-term debt	1,491,328	1,494,609	1,493,828
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	235,799	229,430	138,024
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	101,773	179,548	104,305
Total liabilities	2,264,621	2,747,238	2,129,334
Stockholders’ equity	(31,325)	393,711	(412,773)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,233,296	3,140,949	1,716,561
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income taxes receivable		(2,801)
Total current assets		(2,801)
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable			(23,711)
Investments in subsidiaries	(2,715,382)	(2,933,123)	(1,982,015)
Amounts due from affiliates	(4,143,463)	(3,942,892)	(3,757,778)
Other noncurrent assets	0
Total assets	(6,858,845)	(6,878,816)	(5,763,504)
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions		(2,801)
Total current liabilities		(2,801)
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions			(23,711)
Amounts due to affiliates	(4,143,463)	(3,942,892)	(3,757,778)
Total liabilities	(4,143,463)	(3,945,693)	(3,781,489)
Stockholders’ equity	(2,715,382)	(2,933,123)	(1,982,015)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(6,858,845)	(6,878,816)	(5,763,504)
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income taxes receivable	2,811	2,801
Total current assets	2,811	2,801
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	434	1,400	7,463
Investments in subsidiaries	2,600,520	2,801,808	1,890,500
Amounts due from affiliates		0	0
Total assets	2,603,765	2,806,009	1,897,963
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	2,360	2,074	2,407
Total current liabilities	2,360	2,074	2,407
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	9,285	9,286	18,293
Amounts due to affiliates	2,623,445	2,400,938	2,290,036
Total liabilities	2,635,090	2,412,298	2,310,736
Stockholders’ equity	(31,325)	393,711	(412,773)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,603,765	2,806,009	1,897,963
Block Financial (Issuer) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	4,417	4,346	4,321
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted			8,083
Receivables, short-term	39,241	51,562	54,006
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	3,593	1,954	4,205
Total current assets	47,251	57,862	70,615
Property and equipment, net	524	467	56
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	17,941	17,798	25,453
Amounts due from affiliates	1,520,018	1,541,954	1,467,742
Other noncurrent assets	58,288	50,073	62,046
Total assets	1,644,022	1,668,154	1,625,912
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	9,933	16,628	9,334
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	1,641	1,161	1,432
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	1,060	1,060
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	20,409	22,172	25,977
Total current liabilities	33,043	41,021	36,743
Long-term debt	1,491,328	1,490,007	1,488,707
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	3,989	4,963	8,037
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	800	848	910
Total liabilities	1,529,160	1,536,839	1,534,397
Stockholders’ equity	114,862	131,315	91,515
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,644,022	1,668,154	1,625,912
Other Subsidiaries | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	596,382	1,540,598	176,676
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	122,507	118,734	92,582
Receivables, short-term	22,045	95,212	23,744
Income taxes receivable	15,934	12,310
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	84,072	66,997	80,999
Total current assets	840,940	1,833,851	374,001
Property and equipment, net	241,248	231,421	262,170
Intangible assets, net	364,524	373,981	406,440
Goodwill	507,191	507,871	493,059
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	112,612	14,897
Investments in subsidiaries	114,862	131,315	91,515
Amounts due from affiliates	2,623,445	2,400,938	2,290,036
Other noncurrent assets	39,532	51,328	38,969
Total assets	4,844,354	5,545,602	3,956,190
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	102,100	233,273	103,134
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	41,755	140,338	41,465
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	93,197	264,791	43,879
Current portion of long-term debt		1,026	1,004
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	163,266	163,929	164,545
Total current liabilities	400,318	803,357	354,027
Long-term debt		4,602	5,121
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	222,525	215,181	135,405
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	100,973	178,700	103,395
Amounts due to affiliates	1,520,018	1,541,954	1,467,742
Total liabilities	2,243,834	2,743,794	2,065,690
Stockholders’ equity	2,600,520	2,801,808	1,890,500
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 4,844,354	$ 5,545,602	$ 3,956,190