Yes it is, if you want to recieve you maintenance loan/grant by the time your course starts.
I started my application in march ! I kept nagging at my parents to sort it, dad was saying he wouldn't know what to do and was letting mum sort out his bit. But mums been incredibly busy the last few months so hasn't had time to sort it. They eventually did it yesterday!
It was a right faff though. Cos they'd both signed up for when my mum went to uni. But this was over 5 years ago. So neither of them knew their login details and they couldn't re-register. And mums secret question was the name of her first teacher, but she couldn't remember how to spell it !!!! So they had to phone up to sort it out. But they couldn't sort them both out in one call, they had to phone up separately !!
My friends parents have been away for a few weeks and come back today, so they're sorting it out tonight/tomorrow ! cutting it a bit fine if they have any problems !!