Mental health services for young people from the rainbow community will receive a boost of $4 million over four years.

Young gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people were at greater risk of being discriminated against, harassed and bullied, says Ardern.

As a result, they often have poorer physical and mental health, and are more likely to struggle with addiction, she says.

"Participants in the Counting Ourselves survey who are trans or non-binary were twice as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year than participants who did not report that discrimination.

"This is a long overdue commitment to some our most vulnerable youth," says Ardern.

The funding will provide $3.2 million to expand mental wellbeing services and $800,000 for the Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund, which was established as an acknowledgement of people convicted of homosexual acts before the law was changed in 1986.

-RNZ.