v3.10.0.1

Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) € in Millions, £ in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2018 EUR (€) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 GBP (£) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 GBP (£)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Programming and copyright costs |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,671,400,000 |  | $ 1,470,200,000 | $ 1,783,400,000 |  |  |  |
Rent expense under non-cancelable operating lease arrangements |  |  |  |  |  | 111,800,000 |  | 104,500,000 | 125,700,000 |  |  |  |
Aggregate expense for matching contributions under various defined contribution plans |  |  |  |  |  | 41,000,000.0 |  | $ 34,700,000 | $ 67,600,000 |  |  |  |
Maximum | Unfavorable Regulatory Action | Scenario, Forecast | U.K. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 36,000,000 | £ 28.0 |  |
Interkabel Acquisition |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency damages in excess value |  |  |  |  | € 20.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22,900,000 |
Damages sought | € 1,400.0 | $ 1,600,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency accrual |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |
Deutsche Telekom Litigation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Damages sought |  |  |  |  | € 75.0 | $ 86,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Reduction of annual lease fees |  |  |  |  | 83.33% | 83.33% | 83.33% |  |  |  |  |  |
Belgium Regulatory Developments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percent of Reduction in Monthly Wholesale Cable Resale Access Prices |  |  |  |  | 17.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17.00% | 17.00%
Virgin Media VAT Matters |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss contingency accrual |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 |
Virgin Media VAT Matters | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss |  |  |  |  | € 47.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60,000,000 |
Virgin Media VAT Matters 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimate of possible loss |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 83,100,000 | £ 63.7
Income tax paid |  |  | $ 99,100,000 | £ 67.0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,400,000 | £ 3.3 |  |  |  |  |  |

X
- Definition Loss Contingency Damages In Excess Value + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | lbtya_LossContingencyDamagesInExcessValue
Namespace Prefix: | lbtya_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percent of Reduction in Monthly Wholesale Cable Resale Access Prices + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | lbtya_PercentofReductioninMonthlyWholesaleCableResaleAccessPrices
Namespace Prefix: | lbtya_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Programming and Copyright Costs + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | lbtya_ProgrammingandCopyrightCosts
Namespace Prefix: | lbtya_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Reduction of Annual Lease Fees + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | lbtya_ReductionofAnnualLeaseFees
Namespace Prefix: | lbtya_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of discretionary contributions made by an employer to a defined contribution plan. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of estimated interest recognized in the period arising from income tax examinations. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationInterestExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4297-108586 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3536-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of rent expense incurred for leased assets, including but not limited to, furniture and equipment, that is not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of loss contingency liability. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14557-108349 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14557-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931803&loc=d3e12021-110248 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=us-gaap_UnfavorableRegulatoryActionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_GB
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_LitigationCaseAxis=lbtya_InterkabelAcquisitionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_LitigationCaseAxis=lbtya_DeutscheTelekomLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_LitigationCaseAxis=lbtya_BelgiumRegulatoryDevelopmentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_LitigationCaseAxis=lbtya_VirginMediaVATMattersMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_LitigationCaseAxis=lbtya_VirginMediaVATMatters2Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |