Automation and globalisation may help boost jobs across the country but they will also compound the North/South divide, a report has warned today.

Cities Outlook 2018, published by Centre for Cities, found one in five existing jobs are likely to be displaced by 2030.

However, while 18% of jobs are under threat in Southern cities, this rises to 23% elsewhere in the country.

The report, which is the think tank's annual health-check on UK city economies, also found around 1.4m existing jobs in British cities are in occupations predicted to grow by 2030.

Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: 'Automation and globalisation will bring huge opportunities to increase prosperity and jobs, but there is also a real risk that many people and places will lose out. The time to act is now – national and local leaders need to ensure that people in cities across the North and Midlands can share in the benefits these changes could offer.

'That means reforming the education system to give young people the cognitive and interpersonal skills they need to thrive in the future, and improving school standards, especially in places where jobs are most at risk. We also need greater investment in lifelong learning and technical education to help adults adapt to the changing labour market, and better retraining for people who lose their jobs because of these changes.'