Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jan. 31, 2019	Apr. 30, 2018	Jan. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2017
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	$ 203,226	$ 1,544,944	$ 187,366
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	101,903	118,734	83,033
Receivables, short-term	758,217	146,774	791,618
Income taxes receivable			72,775
Income taxes receivable	36,486	12,310	72,775
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	134,820	68,951	149,349
Total current assets	1,234,652	1,891,713	1,284,141
Property and equipment, net	220,505	231,888	249,911
Intangible assets, net	356,952	373,981	390,993
Goodwill	520,005	507,871	504,789	$ 491,207
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	141,366	34,095	25,305
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0	0
Other noncurrent assets	95,326	101,401	106,161
Total assets	2,568,806	3,140,949	2,561,300
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	202,101	251,975	163,653
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	140,902	141,499	135,626
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	49,009	263,050	164,246
Current portion of long-term debt		1,026	1,015
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	195,634	186,101	201,988
Total current liabilities	587,646	843,651	666,528
Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings	1,876,989	1,494,609	2,284,231
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	214,217	229,430	201,384
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	103,545	179,548	107,226
Total liabilities	2,782,397	2,747,238	3,259,369
Stockholders’ equity	(213,591)	393,711	(698,069)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,568,806	3,140,949	2,561,300
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income taxes receivable		(2,801)
Total current assets		(2,801)
Investments in subsidiaries	(2,588,620)	(2,933,123)	(1,722,850)
Amounts due from affiliates	(4,239,361)	(3,942,892)	(4,246,021)
Other noncurrent assets	0
Total assets	(6,827,981)	(6,878,816)	(5,968,871)
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions		(2,801)
Total current liabilities		(2,801)
Amounts due to affiliates	(4,239,361)	(3,942,892)	(4,246,021)
Total liabilities	(4,239,361)	(3,945,693)	(4,246,021)
Stockholders’ equity	(2,588,620)	(2,933,123)	(1,722,850)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(6,827,981)	(6,878,816)	(5,968,871)
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income taxes receivable			3,250
Income taxes receivable	2,811	2,801
Total current assets	2,811	2,801	3,250
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	1,794	1,400
Investments in subsidiaries	2,485,857	2,801,808	1,655,160
Amounts due from affiliates		0	0
Total assets	2,490,462	2,806,009	1,658,410
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	14,823	2,074	2,516
Total current liabilities	14,823	2,074	2,516
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	9,285	9,286	18,293
Amounts due to affiliates	2,679,945	2,400,938	2,335,670
Total liabilities	2,704,053	2,412,298	2,356,479
Stockholders’ equity	(213,591)	393,711	(698,069)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,490,462	2,806,009	1,658,410
Block Financial (Issuer) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	4,722	4,346	4,475
Receivables, short-term	392,257	51,562	396,046
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,637	1,954	2,908
Total current assets	399,616	57,862	403,429
Property and equipment, net	466	467	814
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	17,941	17,798	20,427
Amounts due from affiliates	1,559,416	1,541,954	1,910,351
Other noncurrent assets	57,230	50,073	66,497
Total assets	2,034,669	1,668,154	2,401,518
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	18,475	16,628	15,514
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	1,333	1,161	954
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	1,060	1,060
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	28,441	22,172	29,052
Total current liabilities	49,309	41,021	45,520
Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings	1,876,989	1,490,007	2,279,368
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	3,989	4,963	8,037
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	1,619	848	903
Total liabilities	1,931,906	1,536,839	2,333,828
Stockholders’ equity	102,763	131,315	67,690
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,034,669	1,668,154	2,401,518
Other Subsidiaries | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	198,504	1,540,598	182,891
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	101,903	118,734	83,033
Receivables, short-term	365,960	95,212	395,572
Income taxes receivable			69,525
Income taxes receivable	33,675	12,310
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	132,183	66,997	146,441
Total current assets	832,225	1,833,851	877,462
Property and equipment, net	220,039	231,421	249,097
Intangible assets, net	356,952	373,981	390,993
Goodwill	520,005	507,871	504,789
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	121,631	14,897	4,878
Investments in subsidiaries	102,763	131,315	67,690
Amounts due from affiliates	2,679,945	2,400,938	2,335,670
Other noncurrent assets	38,096	51,328	39,664
Total assets	4,871,656	5,545,602	4,470,243
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	168,803	233,273	145,623
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	139,569	140,338	134,672
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	47,949	264,791	164,246
Current portion of long-term debt		1,026	1,015
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	167,193	163,929	172,936
Total current liabilities	523,514	803,357	618,492
Long-term debt and line of credit borrowings		4,602	4,863
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	200,943	215,181	175,054
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	101,926	178,700	106,323
Amounts due to affiliates	1,559,416	1,541,954	1,910,351
Total liabilities	2,385,799	2,743,794	2,815,083
Stockholders’ equity	2,485,857	2,801,808	1,655,160
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 4,871,656	$ 5,545,602	$ 4,470,243