Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 31, 2019	Apr. 30, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	$ 607,668	$ 1,572,150			$ 979,116
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	157,786	135,577			131,376
Short-term	76,128	138,965			70,576
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	105,123	146,667			101,055
Total current assets	946,705	1,993,359			1,282,123
Property and equipment, net	199,679	212,092			227,003
Operating lease right of use asset	486,147
Intangible assets, net	419,391	342,493			354,831
Goodwill	821,278	519,937			507,941	$ 507,871
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	142,416	141,979			131,683
Investments in subsidiaries	0
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0			0
Other noncurrent assets	94,384	90,085			101,457
Total assets	3,110,000	3,299,945			2,605,038
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	122,156	249,525			145,471
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	48,166	196,527			37,468
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	182,928	271,973			178,313
Operating lease liabilities	186,355
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	193,364	204,976			202,744
Total current liabilities	732,969	923,001			563,996
Long-term debt	1,493,289	1,492,629			1,495,006
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	199,714	197,906			231,292
Operating lease liabilities	292,818
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	100,406	144,882			122,735
Amounts due to affiliates	0
Total liabilities	2,819,196	2,758,418			2,413,029
Stockholders’ equity	290,804	541,527	$ (213,591)	$ (31,325)	192,009	$ 393,711
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,110,000	3,299,945			2,605,038
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	0
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	0
Short-term	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0
Total current assets	0
Property and equipment, net	0
Operating lease right of use asset	0
Intangible assets, net	0
Goodwill	0
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(3,376,911)	(3,515,742)			(2,891,056)
Amounts due from affiliates	(4,462,248)	(4,378,575)			(4,098,900)
Other noncurrent assets	0
Total assets	(7,839,159)	(7,894,317)			(6,989,956)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	0
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	0
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	0
Total current liabilities	0
Long-term debt	0
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	0
Amounts due to affiliates	(4,462,248)	(4,378,575)			(4,098,900)
Total liabilities	(4,462,248)	(4,378,575)			(4,098,900)
Stockholders’ equity	(3,376,911)	(3,515,742)			(2,891,056)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(7,839,159)	(7,894,317)			(6,989,956)
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	0
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	0
Short-term	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	2,811	2,812			2,811
Total current assets	2,811	2,812			2,811
Property and equipment, net	0
Operating lease right of use asset	0
Intangible assets, net	0
Goodwill	0
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	464	3,218
Investments in subsidiaries	3,245,662	3,378,009			2,762,660
Amounts due from affiliates	0	0			0
Other noncurrent assets	0
Total assets	3,248,937	3,384,039			2,765,471
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	19,221	2,272			2,216
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	0
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	0
Total current liabilities	19,221	2,272			2,216
Long-term debt	0
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	24,623	24,623			10,465
Operating lease liabilities	0
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	0
Amounts due to affiliates	2,914,289	2,815,617			2,560,781
Total liabilities	2,958,133	2,842,512			2,573,462
Stockholders’ equity	290,804	541,527			192,009
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,248,937	3,384,039			2,765,471
Block Financial (Issuer) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	4,641	4,109			3,759
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	0
Short-term	26,392	35,901			40,457
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,682	1,695			1,954
Total current assets	32,715	41,705			46,170
Property and equipment, net	470	552			418
Operating lease right of use asset	334
Intangible assets, net	0
Goodwill	0
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	15,953	15,953			17,941
Investments in subsidiaries	0
Amounts due from affiliates	1,547,959	1,562,958			1,538,119
Other noncurrent assets	62,455	54,976			56,004
Total assets	1,659,886	1,676,144			1,658,652
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	6,093	19,735			7,511
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	1,787	1,564			1,423
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	1,060	1,060			1,060
Operating lease liabilities	134
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	23,861	21,144			24,952
Total current liabilities	32,935	43,503			34,946
Long-term debt	1,493,289	1,492,629			1,490,668
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	1,486	1,486			3,989
Operating lease liabilities	187
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	740	793			653
Amounts due to affiliates	0
Total liabilities	1,528,637	1,538,411			1,530,256
Stockholders’ equity	131,249	137,733			128,396
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	1,659,886	1,676,144			1,658,652
Other Subsidiaries | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash & cash equivalents	603,027	1,568,041			975,357
Cash and cash equivalents - restricted	157,786	135,577			131,376
Short-term	49,736	103,064			30,119
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	100,630	142,160			96,290
Total current assets	911,179	1,948,842			1,233,142
Property and equipment, net	199,209	211,540			226,585
Operating lease right of use asset	485,813
Intangible assets, net	419,391	342,493			354,831
Goodwill	821,278	519,937			507,941
Deferred tax assets and income taxes receivable	125,999	122,808			113,742
Investments in subsidiaries	131,249	137,733			128,396
Amounts due from affiliates	2,914,289	2,815,617			2,560,781
Other noncurrent assets	31,929	35,109			45,453
Total assets	6,040,336	6,134,079			5,170,871
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	96,842	227,518			135,744
Accrued salaries, wages and payroll taxes	46,379	194,963			36,045
Accrued income taxes and reserves for uncertain tax positions	181,868	270,913			177,253
Operating lease liabilities	186,221
Deferred revenue and other current liabilities	169,503	183,832			177,792
Total current liabilities	680,813	877,226			526,834
Long-term debt	0				4,338
Deferred tax liabilities and reserves for uncertain tax positions	173,605	171,797			216,838
Operating lease liabilities	292,631
Deferred revenue and other noncurrent liabilities	99,666	144,089			122,082
Amounts due to affiliates	1,547,959	1,562,958			1,538,119
Total liabilities	2,794,674	2,756,070			2,408,211
Stockholders’ equity	3,245,662	3,378,009			2,762,660
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 6,040,336	$ 6,134,079			$ 5,170,871