Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2019	Jul. 31, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash used in operating activities	$ (483,829)	$ (375,563)
Capital expenditures	(15,181)	(12,057)
Payments made for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(394,411)	(1,449)
Franchise loans funded	(2,806)	(1,805)
Payments from franchisees	2,647	5,104
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	0	0
Other, net	50,944	3,645
Net cash used in investing activities	(358,807)	(6,562)
Dividends paid	(52,512)	(52,104)
Repurchase of common stock, including shares surrendered	(36,456)	(101,665)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,206	1,355
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	0	0
Other, net	(12,431)	(17,494)
Net cash used in financing activities	(100,193)	(169,908)
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash	556	(1,153)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted balances	(942,273)	(553,186)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	1,707,727	1,663,678
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	765,454	1,110,492
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash used in operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Payments made for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Franchise loans funded	0	0
Payments from franchisees	0	0
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	72,763	149,696
Other, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	72,763	149,696
Dividends paid	0	0
Repurchase of common stock, including shares surrendered	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	(72,763)	(149,696)
Other, net	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(72,763)	(149,696)
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted balances	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	0	0
H&R Block, Inc. (Guarantor) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash used in operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Payments made for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Franchise loans funded	0	0
Payments from franchisees	0	0
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Dividends paid	(52,512)	(52,104)
Repurchase of common stock, including shares surrendered	(36,456)	(101,665)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	1,206	1,355
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	87,762	152,414
Other, net	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted balances	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	0	0
Block Financial (Issuer) | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash used in operating activities	(13,442)	(6,335)
Capital expenditures	0	0
Payments made for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Franchise loans funded	(2,689)	(1,791)
Payments from franchisees	2,352	5,006
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	14,999	2,718
Other, net	(688)	(185)
Net cash used in investing activities	13,974	5,748
Dividends paid	0	0
Repurchase of common stock, including shares surrendered	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted balances	532	(587)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	4,109	4,346
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	4,641	3,759
Other Subsidiaries | Reportable entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash used in operating activities	(470,387)	(369,228)
Capital expenditures	(15,181)	(12,057)
Payments made for business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(394,411)	(1,449)
Franchise loans funded	(117)	(14)
Payments from franchisees	295	98
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	(87,762)	(152,414)
Other, net	51,632	3,830
Net cash used in investing activities	(445,544)	(162,006)
Dividends paid	0	0
Repurchase of common stock, including shares surrendered	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	0	0
Intercompany borrowings (payments)	(14,999)	(2,718)
Other, net	(12,431)	(17,494)
Net cash used in financing activities	(27,430)	(20,212)
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash	556	(1,153)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted balances	(942,805)	(552,599)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	1,703,618	1,659,332
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	$ 760,813	$ 1,106,733