Equity Method Investment, Co-Venturer Ownership Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	lbtya_EquityMethodInvestmentCoVenturerOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	lbtya_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) in the disposal group, including discontinued operation, recognized in the statement of income as a result of the sale or complete or substantially complete liquidation of an investment in a foreign entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109240241&loc=d3e32211-110900

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationForeignCurrencyTranslationGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of gain (loss) recognized on the sale or disposal of a disposal group. Excludes discontinued operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226348&loc=d3e2443-110228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2941-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupNotDiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before tax of income (loss) from an individually significant component disposed of or held-for-sale attributable to parent. Excludes discontinued operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3A
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=SL51724579-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromIndividuallySignificantComponentDisposedOfOrHeldForSaleExcludingDiscontinuedOperationsAttributableToParentBeforeIncomeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash inflow during the period from additional borrowings in aggregate debt. Includes proceeds from short-term and long-term debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=us-gaap_DisposalGroupDisposedOfBySaleNotDiscontinuedOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=lbtya_VodafoneZiggoHoldingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=lbtya_VodafoneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=lbtya_VodafoneZiggoJVMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Dispositions and the VodafoneZiggo JV Transaction (VodafoneZiggo JV Transaction Narrative) (Details) € in Millions, $ in Millions			3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jan. 04, 2017 EUR (€)	Jan. 04, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 EUR (€)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain on the VodafoneZiggo JV Transaction (note 6)							$ 0.0	$ 4.5	$ 520.8
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations \| VodafoneZiggo Holding
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture of business	€ 2,200.0	$ 2,400.0
Proceeds from various debt financing arrangements					€ 2,800.0	$ 2,900.0
Gain on the VodafoneZiggo JV Transaction (note 6)				$ 4.5				520.8
Cumulative foreign currency translation loss								714.5
Earnings (loss) before income taxes								(276.4)
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations \| VodafoneZiggo Holding \| Vodafone
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from divestiture of business	€ 802.9	$ 840.8	€ 3.9	$ 4.5				$ 260.4
VodafoneZiggo JV
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	50.00%	50.00%					50.00%	50.00%
Co-venturer ownership percentage							50.00%