2.2.0.7 false Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) 0614 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) true false false false 1 USD false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 $ false 2 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 3 USD false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 $ false 4 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 $ false 5 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 $ false 6 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 7 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 8 false false Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 3 Income Taxes (Numeric) [Abstract] 1 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string No definition available. false 4 Effective tax rates 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 0.188 0.188 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false true false false 0.255 0.255 false false false 4 false true false false 0.218 0.218 false false false 5 false true false false 0.261 0.261 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 47 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Subparagraph 2 -Article 4 false 5 Unrecognized Tax Benefits Excluding Interest and Penalties 2 wu_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsExcludingInterestAndPenalties wu false credit instant The gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits (tax reductions recognized in financial reports but excluded from tax returns)... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 true true false false 530400000 530400000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 true true false false 530400000 530400000 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 true true false false 477200000 477200000 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary The gross amount of unrecognized tax benefits (tax reductions recognized in financial reports but excluded from tax returns) pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns as of the balance sheet date. No authoritative reference available. false 6 Unrecognized Tax Benefits That Would Impact the Effective Tax Rate 2 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate us-gaap true credit instant No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 522500000 522500000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 522500000 522500000 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false true false false 468600000 468600000 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph b false 7 Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense 2 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestExpense us-gaap true debit duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 300000 300000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false true false false 2200000 2200000 false false false 4 false true false false 2700000 2700000 false false false 5 false true false false 6500000 6500000 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This element represents the total of interest expense recognized for an underpayment of income taxes computed by applying the applicable statutory rate of interest to the difference between a tax position recognized for financial reporting purposes and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken in a tax return of the entity and the amount of statutory penalties in the period in which the entity claims or expects to claim a tax position, in its tax return, that does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid payment of penalties. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph c Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 15, 16 false 8 Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued 2 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued us-gaap true credit instant No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 48200000 48200000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 48200000 48200000 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false true false false 45500000 45500000 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This element represents the total of accruals as of the date of the statement of financial position for interest recognized for an underpayment of income taxes computed by applying the applicable statutory rate of interest to the difference between a tax position recognized for financial reporting purposes and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken in a tax return of the entity and the amount of statutory penalties for a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed by the entity, in its tax return, that does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid payment of penalties. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph c Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 15, 16 false 9 Income Tax Examination Tax and Penalties Accrued 2 wu_IncomeTaxExaminationTaxAndPenaltiesAccrued wu false credit instant The alleged amount of additional tax and penalties in the Notice of Deficiency related to unagreed adjustments. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false true false false 114000000 114000000 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary The alleged amount of additional tax and penalties in the Notice of Deficiency related to unagreed adjustments. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Income Tax Examination, Accrued Interest 2 wu_IncomeTaxExaminationAccruedInterest wu false credit instant The amount of estimated interest on alleged adjustments as of the balance sheet date. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 33000000 33000000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 33000000 33000000 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary The amount of estimated interest on alleged adjustments as of the balance sheet date. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Refundable tax deposit 2 wu_RefundableTaxDeposit wu false credit duration Refundable tax deposit relating to potential United States federal tax liabilities, including those arising from the 2003... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false true false false 250000000 250000000 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Refundable tax deposit relating to potential United States federal tax liabilities, including those arising from the 2003 international restructuring, which have been previously accrued in the financial statements. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Spin-off Related Taxes, percentage 2 wu_SpinOffRelatedTaxesLiability wu false na instant Represents the percentage for which the Company is liable for any Spin-off Related Taxes (i) that would not have been imposed... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false true false false 0.5 0.5 false false false xbrli:pureItemType pure Represents the percentage for which the Company is liable for any Spin-off Related Taxes (i) that would not have been imposed but for the existence of both an action by the Company and an action by First Data or (ii) where the Company and First Data each take actions that, standing alone, would have resulted in the imposition of such Spin-off Related Taxes. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Foreign Earnings 2 wu_ForeignEarnings wu false credit instant Represents amount of foreign earnings that is expected to be reinvested outside of the United States indefinitely for which... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 true true false false 2300000000 2300000000 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 true true false false 2300000000 2300000000 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false 8 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Represents amount of foreign earnings that is expected to be reinvested outside of the United States indefinitely for which no provision had been made for United States federal and state income taxes. No authoritative reference available. false 8 11 false NoRounding UnKnown UnKnown false true