Share-based Compensation (Stock Award Activity, Options, SARs & PSARs) (Schedules) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
Options [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares [Member]
Number of shares
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in shares)	804,617
Virgin Media Replacement Awards (in dollars per share)	3,934,574
Options granted (in shares)	62,314
Options expired, canceled or forfeited (in shares)	(144,436)
Options exercised (in shares)	(1,948,624)
Options outstanding at end of period (in shares)	2,708,445
Options exercisable at end of period (in shares)	1,555,700
Weighted average exercise price
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 25.90
Virgin Media Replacement Awards (in shares)	$ 31.16
Options granted (in dollars per shares)	$ 73.66
Options expired or canceled (in dollars per shares)	$ 52.75
Options exercised (in dollars per shares)	$ 27.47
Options outstanding at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 32.08
Options exercisable at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 26.23
Weighted average remaining contractual term, in years
Options outstanding at end of period	6 years 1 month 6 days
Options exercisable at end of period	4 years 7 months 6 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding at end of period	$ 154.2
Options exercisable at end of period	97.7
Options [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares [Member]
Number of shares
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in shares)	842,771
Virgin Media Replacement Awards (in dollars per share)	2,935,250
Options granted (in shares)	67,334
Options expired, canceled or forfeited (in shares)	(107,797)
Options exercised (in shares)	(1,576,096)
Options outstanding at end of period (in shares)	2,161,462
Options exercisable at end of period (in shares)	1,270,181
Weighted average exercise price
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 24.59
Virgin Media Replacement Awards (in shares)	$ 27.16
Options granted (in dollars per shares)	$ 68.16
Options expired or canceled (in dollars per shares)	$ 48.74
Options exercised (in dollars per shares)	$ 24.06
Options outstanding at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 28.62
Options exercisable at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 22.85
Weighted average remaining contractual term, in years
Options outstanding at end of period	6 years 1 month 6 days
Options exercisable at end of period	4 years 7 months 6 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding at end of period	120.4
Options exercisable at end of period	78.1
SARs [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares [Member]
Number of shares
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in shares)	3,761,337
Options granted (in shares)	1,234,736
Options expired, canceled or forfeited (in shares)	(50,749)
Options exercised (in shares)	(776,566)
Options outstanding at end of period (in shares)	4,168,758
Options exercisable at end of period (in shares)	1,862,169
Weighted average exercise price
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 36.94
Options granted (in dollars per shares)	$ 74.38
Options expired or canceled (in dollars per shares)	$ 52.21
Options exercised (in dollars per shares)	$ 29.03
Options outstanding at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 49.31
Options exercisable at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 36.80
Weighted average remaining contractual term, in years
Options outstanding at end of period	4 years 9 months 18 days
Options exercisable at end of period	3 years 10 months 24 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding at end of period	165.4
Options exercisable at end of period	97.2
SARs [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares [Member]
Number of shares
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in shares)	3,786,754
Options granted (in shares)	1,234,736
Options expired, canceled or forfeited (in shares)	(50,749)
Options exercised (in shares)	(836,355)
Options outstanding at end of period (in shares)	4,134,386
Options exercisable at end of period (in shares)	1,827,797
Weighted average exercise price
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 35.58
Options granted (in dollars per shares)	$ 69.16
Options expired or canceled (in dollars per shares)	$ 49.70
Options exercised (in dollars per shares)	$ 27.47
Options outstanding at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 47.07
Options exercisable at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 35.74
Weighted average remaining contractual term, in years
Options outstanding at end of period	4 years 9 months 18 days
Options exercisable at end of period	3 years 10 months 24 days
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding at end of period	154.0
Options exercisable at end of period	88.8
PSARs [Member] | Class A Ordinary Shares [Member]
Number of shares
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in shares)	0
Options granted (in shares)	2,903,750
Options expired, canceled or forfeited (in shares)	(86,252)
Options outstanding at end of period (in shares)	2,817,498
Options exercisable at end of period (in shares)	0
Weighted average exercise price
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 0.00
Options granted (in dollars per shares)	$ 69.77
Options expired or canceled (in dollars per shares)	$ 69.70
Options outstanding at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 69.77
Options exercisable at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 0.00
Weighted average remaining contractual term, in years
Options outstanding at end of period	6 years 6 months
Options exercisable at end of period	0 years
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding at end of period	54.2
Options exercisable at end of period	0
PSARs [Member] | Class C Ordinary Shares [Member]
Number of shares
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in shares)	0
Options granted (in shares)	2,903,750
Options expired, canceled or forfeited (in shares)	(86,252)
Options outstanding at end of period (in shares)	2,817,498
Options exercisable at end of period (in shares)	0
Weighted average exercise price
Options outstanding at beginning of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 0.00
Options granted (in dollars per shares)	$ 65.63
Options expired or canceled (in dollars per shares)	$ 65.56
Options outstanding at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 65.63
Options exercisable at end of period (in dollars per shares)	$ 0.00
Weighted average remaining contractual term, in years
Options outstanding at end of period	6 years 6 months
Options exercisable at end of period	0 years
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding at end of period	52.6
Options exercisable at end of period	$ 0