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0000002768FRANKLIN HIGH INCOME TRUST485BPOS2012-09-272012-10-012012-05-31false2012-10-01~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/RiskReturnDetail column period compact * row primary compact * ~Fund SummaryInvestment GoalTo earn a high level of current income. Its secondary goal is capital appreciation to the extent it is possible and consistent with the Fund's principal goal.Fees and Expenses of the FundYou may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds.100000These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 31 in the Fund's Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 48 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ShareholderFeesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact fhit_S000006840Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~0.04250.000.000.000.000.01000.000.00<div><p>ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES</p><p>(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</p></div>~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/OperatingExpensesData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact fhit_S000006840Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~0.00470.00470.00470.00470.00470.00150.00650.00650.00500.000.00150.00150.00150.00150.00150.00780.01280.01280.01130.0063ExampleThis Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement by the investment manager and/or administrator for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:5006638391349~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExample column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact fhit_S000006840Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~52970590114072294057011545114358621137463201350786If you do not sell your shares:~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/ExpenseExampleNoRedemption column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact fhit_S000006840Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~12940570114071294057011545Portfolio Turnover0.2252<div><p>The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 22.52% of the average value of its portfolio.</p></div>Principal Investment StrategiesUnder normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in high yield, lower-rated debt securities.<div><p>Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in high yield, lower-rated debt securities. Lower-rated securities generally pay higher yields than more highly rated securities to compensate investors for the higher risk. These securities include bonds, notes, debentures, convertible securities and senior and subordinated debt securities.</p><p>The Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in debt securities that are rated below investment grade, sometimes called “junk bonds.” Investment grade debt securities are rated in one of the top four ratings categories by independent rating organizations such as Standard & Poor’s (S&P®) and Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s). The Fund may also invest in defaulted debt securities and in securities issued by companies and governments in any foreign country, developed or developing. Foreign securities held by the Fund generally will be denominated in U.S. dollars and traded on U.S. markets.</p><p>The Fund's investment manager is a research driven, fundamental investor that relies on a team of analysts to provide in-depth industry expertise and uses both qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate issuers. As a "bottom-up" investor, the investment manager focuses primarily on individual securities. The investment manager also considers sectors when choosing investments and, from time to time, may have significant investments in certain sectors such as energy.</p><p>In selecting securities for the Fund’s investment portfolio, the investment manager does not rely principally on the ratings assigned by rating agencies, but performs its own independent investment analysis to evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer. The investment manager considers a variety of factors, including the issuer’s experience and managerial strength, its sensitivity to economic conditions, and its current and prospective financial condition.</p></div>Principal Risks<div><p>You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.</p><p>Credit</p><p>An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments and repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating may affect a security's value.</p><p>High-Yield Debt Securities</p><p>Issuers of lower-rated or "high-yield" debt securities are not as strong financially as those issuing higher credit quality debt securities. These issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties and are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments when due. The prices of high-yield debt securities generally fluctuate more than those of higher credit quality. High-yield debt securities are generally more illiquid (harder to sell) and harder to value.</p><p>Interest Rate</p><p>When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. In general, securities with longer maturities are more sensitive to these interest rate changes.</p><p>Income</p><p>Because the Fund can only distribute what it earns, the Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds.</p><p>Foreign Securities</p><p>Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government specific issues, less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The risks of investing in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.</p><p>Focus</p><p>To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investment from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.</p><p>Prepayment</p><p>Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest.</p><p>Market</p><p>The market values of securities owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.</p><p>Management</p><p>The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.</p></div>PerformanceThe following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance.The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.(800) DIAL BEN/342-5236franklintempleton.comSales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.<div><p>The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.</p><p>The secondary index in the table below shows how the Fund's performance compares to a group of securities that aligns more closely with the Fund's investment strategies.</p><p>Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.</p></div>CLASS A ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS-0.03430.35290.11590.03910.09230.0318-0.22540.44330.13140.0455~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/BarChartData column period compact * column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * row dei_LegalEntityAxis compact fhit_S000006840Member ~Best Quarter:2009-06-300.1822Worst Quarter:2008-12-31-0.1425As of June 30, 2012, the Fund's year-to-date return was 6.89%.<table style="font: 11px sans-serif; background-color:#DDDDDD" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="745"><tr><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="top">Best Quarter:</td><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="bottom" align="right">Q2'09</td><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="bottom" align="right">18.22%</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="top">Worst Quarter:</td><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="bottom" align="right">Q4'08</td><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="bottom" align="right">-14.25%</td></tr><tr><td style="border-bottom: 2px solid #ffffff;" valign="top" colspan="3">As of June 30, 2012, the Fund's year-to-date return was 6.89%.</td></tr></table><div><p>AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS<br/>(figures reflect sales charges)</p><p>For the periods ended December 31, 2011</p></div>~ http://xbrl.sec.gov/rr/role/PerformanceTableData column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact fhit_S000006840Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * column rr_PerformanceMeasureAxis compact * row primary compact * ~Return Before Taxes0.00050.05540.0799-0.02540.02600.04960.00010.02920.04990.00140.05610.08070.03020.05940.07950.04140.06080.08200.04710.06660.08690.05470.07120.09070.02780.05100.0700<div><p>Historical performance for Class R shares prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A shares. Class R performance has been adjusted to reflect differences in sales charges and 12b-1 expenses between classes.</p><p>The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.</p></div>New or additional investments into Class B are no longer permitted. The investment manager has contractually agreed in advance to reduce its fee as a result of the Fund's investment in a Franklin Templeton money fund (acquired fund) for at least the next 12-month period. Contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement agreements may not be terminated during the term set forth above.Total annual Fund operating expenses differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights, which reflect the operating expenses of the Fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.