But a self employed painter is self employed - whereas the legal Q is are these "gig" economy really self employed.
The self employed painter could send some one else to do the work for example - I know employment law is a trickily area for civilians (ie non hr specialist and lawyers) to get there head around
A self-employed painter could not send someone else to do the work (without the client's consent) if he was personally contracted to do it. There's no contradiction there.
If you "personally contract" with some one you are their employer.
You might hire Joe Blogs And Son's to do a painting job but it does not mean Joe Blogs does the work personaly it might be his son or he may "get a lad in" to do some of the work
The self employed painter could send some one else to do the work for example - I know employment law is a trickily area for civilians (ie non hr specialist and lawyers) to get there head around