2.2.0.7 false Settlement Assets and Obligations (Details) (USD $) 0609 - Disclosure - Settlement Assets and Obligations (Details) true false In Millions false false 1 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 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 $ 4 Settlement assets: 2 wu_SettlementAssetsAbstract wu false na duration Settlement Assets. 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 xbrli:stringItemType string Settlement Assets. false 5 Cash and cash equivalents 3 wu_SettlementAssetsCashAndCashEquivalents wu false debit instant This item represents the portion of total settlement assets comprised of cash and cash equivalents. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 true true false false 246400000 246.4 false false false 2 true true false false 161900000 161.9 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This item represents the portion of total settlement assets comprised of cash and cash equivalents. No authoritative reference available. false 6 Receivables from selling agents and business-to-business customers 3 wu_SettlementAssetsReceivablesFromSellingAgentsAndBusinessToBusinessCustomers wu false debit instant This item represents the portion of total settlement assets comprised of receivables from selling agents and... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 972500000 972.5 false false false 2 false true false false 1004400000 1004.4 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This item represents the portion of total settlement assets comprised of receivables from selling agents and business-to-business customers. No authoritative reference available. false 7 Investment securities 3 wu_SettlementAssetsInvestmentSecurities wu false debit instant This item represents the portion of total settlement assets comprised of investment securities. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 1174500000 1174.5 false false false 2 false true false false 1222800000 1222.8 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This item represents the portion of total settlement assets comprised of investment securities. No authoritative reference available. true 8 Total settlement assets 3 wu_SettlementAssets wu false debit instant Settlement assets represent funds received or to be received from agents for unsettled money transfers, money orders and... false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 2393400000 2393.4 false false false 2 false true false false 2389100000 2389.1 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Settlement assets represent funds received or to be received from agents for unsettled money transfers, money orders and consumer payments.Settlement assets also include amounts receivable from businesses for the value of customer cross-currency payment transactions related to the global business payments segment. Settlement assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, receivables from selling agents and business-to-business customers and investment securities. No authoritative reference available. true 9 Settlement obligations: 2 wu_SettlementObligationsAbstract wu false na duration Settlement Obligations. 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 xbrli:stringItemType string Settlement Obligations. false 10 Money transfer, money order and payment service payables 3 wu_SettlementObligationsMoneyTransferMoneyOrderAndPaymentServicePayables wu false credit instant This item represents the portion of total settlement obligations comprised of money transfers, money order and payment... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 1925200000 1925.2 false false false 2 false true false false 1954800000 1954.8 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This item represents the portion of total settlement obligations comprised of money transfers, money order and payment service payables. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Payables to agents 3 wu_SettlementObligationsPayablesToAgents wu false credit instant This item represents the portion of total settlement obligations comprised of payables to agents. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 468200000 468.2 false false false 2 false true false false 434300000 434.3 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary This item represents the portion of total settlement obligations comprised of payables to agents. No authoritative reference available. true 12 Total settlement obligations 3 wu_SettlementObligations wu false credit instant Settlement obligations represent amounts payable under money transfers, money orders and consumer payment service... false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 true true false false 2393400000 2393.4 false false false 2 true true false false 2389100000 2389.1 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Settlement obligations represent amounts payable under money transfers, money orders and consumer payment service arrangements. Settlement obligations also include amounts payable to businesses for the value of customer cross-currency payment transactions related to the global business payments segment. Settlement obligations consist of money transfer, money orders and payment service payables and payables to agents. Money transfer payables represent amounts to be paid to transferees when they request their funds. Money order payables represent amounts not yet presented for payment. Payment service payables represent amounts to be paid to businesses. Payables to agents represent amounts due to agents for money transfers that have been settled with transferees. No authoritative reference available. true 2 9 false HundredThousands UnKnown UnKnown false true