More people in areas with high unemployment have no qualifications than in areas with low joblessness.
A report by the University and College Union into qualifications levels in 632 parliamentary constituencies found that over a quarter of working age people in employment blackspots had no cetificates.
40 of the 50 areas with the most unqualified people were in the north, west midlands, Scotland and Wales which have higher unemployment rates, although the research found pockets of deprivation in every region.
But 44 of the 50 areas with the fewest unqualified people were in the south of England, emphasising the 'north/south divide' that exists.
The area with the lowest proportion of unqualified people was Buckingham, where only 2.2% of residents fell into this category, while the area with the highest, Glasgow North East, showed 27.5%, 12.5 times higher.
The research shows the importance of the government funding qualifications to improve employment levels, but, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the UK spends a lower proportion of national income on education than in many other developed countries.
UCU General Secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'This research shows that access to the benefits that education brings is heavily rationed in Britain today with some constituencies having almost 13 times more people without qualifications than others.
'It is unacceptable that there is such widespread under-achievement in Britain today. We live in a fast-changing knowledge economy where education is key to employment and getting on.
'It is this knowledge economy that will drive economic growth, enhance social mobility and enable our country to compete globally. Yet politicians all too often seem to see cutting off access to educational opportunities as an easy target. Given the opportunity, everyone can benefit from education.'