Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Basis of Presentation	Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation Liberty Global plc (Liberty Global) is a public limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales. In these notes, the terms “we,” “our,” “our company” and “us” may refer, as the context requires, to Liberty Global or collectively to Liberty Global and its subsidiaries. We are an international provider of broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and mobile communications services to residential customers and businesses in Europe. Our continuing operations comprise businesses that provide residential and business-to-business (B2B) communications services in (i) the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Ireland through Virgin Media Inc. (Virgin Media), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global, (ii) Belgium through Telenet Group Holding N.V. (Telenet), a 60.8%-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global, and (iii) Switzerland, Poland and Slovakia through various wholly-owned subsidiaries that we collectively refer to as “UPC Holding.” In addition, we own a 50% noncontrolling interest in a 50:50 joint venture between Vodafone Group plc (Vodafone) and Liberty Global (the VodafoneZiggo JV), which provides residential and B2B communication services in the Netherlands. Effective May 7, 2020, in connection with the pending formation of the U.K. JV (as defined in note 4), we began accounting for the U.K. JV Entities (as defined in note 4) as held for sale. Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of the U.K. JV Entities are included in assets held for sale and liabilities associated with assets held for sale, respectively, on our September 30, 2020 condensed consolidated balance sheet. Consistent with the applicable guidance, we have not reflected similar reclassifications in our condensed consolidated statements of operations or cash flows. For additional information, see note 4. Through July 31, 2019, we provided residential and B2B communication services in (i) Germany through Unitymedia GmbH (Unitymedia) and (ii) Hungary, the Czech Republic and Romania through UPC Holding B.V. In addition, through May 2, 2019, we provided direct-to-home satellite (DTH) services to residential customers in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia through a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of UPC Holding B.V. that we refer to as “UPC DTH.” Accordingly, in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations and cash flows, our operations in Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic and the operations of UPC DTH are presented as discontinued operations for all applicable periods. For additional information regarding these dispositions, see note 4. Unless otherwise indicated, the amounts presented in these notes relate only to our continuing operations. Our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X for interim financial information. Accordingly, these financial statements do not include all of the information required by GAAP or Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations for the interim periods presented. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our 2019 consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended (our 10-K). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates and assumptions are used in accounting for, among other things, the valuation of acquisition-related assets and liabilities, allowances for uncollectible accounts, certain components of revenue, programming and copyright costs, deferred income taxes and related valuation allowances, loss contingencies, fair value measurements, impairment assessments, capitalization of internal costs associated with construction and installation activities, lease terms, useful lives of long-lived assets, share-based compensation and actuarial liabilities associated with certain benefit plans. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Unless otherwise indicated, ownership percentages and convenience translations into United States (U.S.) dollars are calculated as of September 30, 2020. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.