Related Party Transaction, Number Of Common Stock Exchanged With Related Party

No definition available.

Name:	jef_RelatedPartyTransactionNumberOfCommonStockExchangedWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	jef_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Related Party Transaction, Number Of Common Stock Exchanged With Related Party, Price Per Share

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jef_RelatedPartyTransactionNumberOfCommonStockExchangedWithRelatedPartyPricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	jef_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of shares authorized to be repurchased by an entity's Board of Directors under a stock repurchase plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased during the period and has not been retired and is not held in treasury. Some state laws may mandate the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=jef_ThreePointEightSevenFivePercentageConvertibleSeniorDebenturesDueTwoThousandTwentyNineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis=jef_RedeemableConvertiblePreferredSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=jef_SaleOfPropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Common Shares and Earnings Per Common Share - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2018	Nov. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2017	Nov. 29, 2019	Jul. 01, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Stock repurchase program, authorized amount						$ 500,000,000.0
Number of shares authorized to be repurchased					9,250,000
Number of shares repurchased during period (in shares)		25,926,388
Stock repurchased during period		$ 506,200,000
Average repurchase price per share (USD per share)		$ 19.52
Available for future purchases		$ 203,600,000
3.875% Convertible Senior Debentures, due November 1, 2029
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Convertible notes interest rate	3.875%		3.875%
Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Securities excluded from computation of earnings per share amount (in shares)	4,162,200		4,162,200
Sale of Property
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Number of common stock exchanged with related party (in shares)				780,315
Number of common stock exchanged with related party, price per share (in USD per share)				$ 21.03